Date: 08/02/2003

Number: 1

Monarchs are all over Chicago today. I've even got two feeding right now on my flower pots on my 2nd story porch over an alley of asphalt and cement. That's never happened before. Just came off a bike ride where I saw several right here in the City in Ravenswood. (Also biked through a three blocks long swarm of I suppose some kind of nat (knat?) I was covered in them when I got off the bike.) Anyway, are the Monarch's moving south already?

Response from Elizabeth Howard, Journey North:

Thank you for reporting your interesting observations!

There's much about fall migration that nobody knows, and it's possible that an early southward migration does take place before the clear, late August massive migration typical in the Chicago area.

However, another possibility is that you're seeing more monarchs now because a new generation has emerged. Monarch numbers increase noticeably with each successive generation. You may be seeing more monarchs this year than previously if breeding conditions have been particularly good (and/or you have local nectar & milkweed sources that are drawing in monarchs from areas with less nectar & milkweed).

Chicago, IL

Latitude: 41.9 Longitude: -87.6

Observed by: Kevin Elizabeth
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.