Date: 09/07/2005
Number: 1
Monday, September 19--No monarchs anywhere.
Midmorning thunderstorms. Temperatures in mid-70s. Winds from the west.
Sunday, September 18: Monarchs 2
Two bright monarchs nectaring at the hydrangeas. Saw three others in flight during the afternoon and early evening. Sunny, with temperatures in upper 80s. Shoreline winds were from the east, tapering off farther west.
Saturday, September 17: Monarchs 1
One monarch at the hydrangeas. Two others in flight during the afternoon. Temps in mid-70s. Shoreline winds from the east.
We don't expect to see more than the occasional straggler now. The hydrangeas are rapidly fading, so they would not be the best host plants. Still, we are seeing very few monarchs elsewhere in the area.
Thursday, September 15: Monarchs 1
We saw one monarch--a very tattered and faded individual-- on the hydrangeas nearest Lake Michigan. It was not moving at all. Today was one of our few cloudy days all summer, with temps in the lower 70s. Usually, we see some in-dividual monarchs in flight around town during the day or early evening. Today and yesterday we did not see any at all.
Wednesday, September 14: Monarchs 0
For the first time in more than a month, we found no monarchs at all at the three sites we have been monitoring. We had some overnight storms, but the rain ended long before dawn and had probably passed over Lake Michigan before any monarchs would have departed Michigan this morning. We'll keep monitoring over the next several days and let you know if things change appreciably. But, I think this time the peak may really have passed.
Tuesday, September 13: Monarchs 11
Today's numbers dropped even more. Only 11 total. The site nearest Lake Michigan did not host even one monarch when we were there! Temperature 90 degrees Fahrenheit, sunny and humid. The hydrangeas are beginning to wilt in this prolonged and unusual late heat spell. Still, they have plenty of blossoms.
After leveling off in the low hundreds over the weekend, the monarch numbers at our observation sites plummeted today. Here are the daily reports:
Monday, September 12: Monarchs 19
We saw just 19 monarchs total at the three sites. Temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit, lakeshore breezes continued from the east.
Sunday, September 11: Monarchs 102
We counted 102 monarchs at the three nectaring sites. The day was partly cloudy, humid, with temperatures in the upper 80s.
Saturday, September 10: Monarchs 117
117 monarchs nectared at the three groups of hydrangeas. Temperatures were in the upper 80s, with east winds along the Lake Michigan shoreline.
September 9: Monarchs 119
The monarch numbers continued to drop today. We counted 119 total at the three locations. At one site, however, grounds crews had just finished sprinkling again, so that could have had some impact on the numbers there. Temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit. On the lakeshore, east winds still dominated.
September 8: Monarchs 145
After climbing for the last three days, our monarch numbers fell to 145 total for the three locations today. Still a substantial number compared to past years at this time. Our storm last night was very brief and came after dark, so it probably did not have much effect on migration. Temperature 77 degrees Fahrenheit, winds from the east.
Wednesday, September 7: Monarchs 240
Our monarch count at the three locations continued to go up today. We saw at least 240, including some arriving at the hydrangeas from the beach. The east wind was a little stronger today. Temperature, under sunny skies, was 84 degrees Fahrenheit. We have storms predicted for tonight, and possibly tomorrow, so we will see how that affects the migration.
After staying low through Sunday, the monarch count at the three nectaring locations I've been monitoring took a surprising turn on Monday. Here are the daily reports:
Tuesday, September 6: Monarchs 219
Our monarch count jumped to a total of at least 219--the highest we have ever observed! It was difficult to count them accurately, as individuals kept rising, floating above the hydrangeas, then coming to rest again. But, with my husband, Jim, assisting me, I believe we got a pretty accurate count. Winds were from the east, temperature 84 degrees Fahrenheit. We have been watching the monarch migration closely for several years, and we do seem to be seeing more than usual this year. For the most part, conditions have been ideal for crossing Lake Michigan from the east and northeast--warm, mild, no storms. The drought we have been experiencing here may actually be helping the monarchs. Some years, we see scores washed up on the Lake Michigan beaches after being caught in storms while crossing the lake.
Monday, September 5: Monarchs 121
To our surprise and delight, the monarch count at our nectaring locations soared to 121--a new peak--today! The jump surprised us, since the southeast winds would have made migration across Lake Michigan more difficult than on recent days. Of course, we do not know what the conditions were in Michigan when they started out this morning. It was a sunny day, with temperatures in the mid-80s.
Sunday, September 4: Monarchs 13
Our count jumped to 13 under partly cloudy skies, temperature about 80 again, wind from the east. Two of the nectaring monarchs may not have been migrating, or, if they were, they faced a more difficult journey than most. One was very faded and missing half of one forewing. The other was battered, with crimped forewings that did not extend completely.
Saturday, September 3: Monarchs 7
We saw only 7 monarchs at the hydrangea nectaring sites. Temperature about 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Sunny. Throughout the afternoon and evening, we saw perhaps 10 more high-flying monarchs heading west.
September 2: Monarchs 7
Our nectaring monarch population had a very slight uptick today--a total of 7 at the three sites. We saw one of the monarchs flying across the beach to nectar at the hydrangeas nearest to Lake Michigan. Today's northeast winds would have helped potential migrators from Michigan. Temperature was about 80 degrees Fahrenheit under sunny skies. Several cabbage whites, one painted lady, one sulphur, and one comma butterfly joined the monarchs at the hydrangeas.
September 1: Monarchs 4
The monarch numbers at the three sites I am monitoring diminished even more today. I saw only four--one at the first site, two at the second, one at the third. The day was a bit hotter--83 degrees Fahrenheit--and the wind had diminished, but was still from the north. The hydrangeas, a variety of hydrangea paniculata, still attract large numbers of hornets, spider wasps, and other wasps. Last week we also saw about one painted lady a day among the monarchs, but we have not seen any this week.
August 31: Monarchs 13
The monarch numbers at the three observation sites on Northwestern University's campus continue to dwindle. Today's total at about the same time was only 13. Temperature in the mid-70s, wind from the northeast. Not as sunny as the last few days.
August 30: Monarchs 22
Today, at about the same time, with similar conditions to the last few days, but with slightly stronger winds from the east, we saw only 22 total at the three sites. At one site, however, the university grounds crew had just finished watering, so any monarchs could have been disturbed and flown off. We did, however, see four on those hydrangeas, about the same as yesterday's five.
Monday, August 29: Monarchs 31
At the same time, we counted only 31 total. East winds from Lake Michigan prevailed on all three days and temperatures ranged from upper 70s to low 80s under sunny skies.
August 27th and 28th: Monarchs 100
I may have seen the peak migration on Saturday and Sunday. For about 2 weeks, I have been checking three groups of hydrangea plantings on Northwestern University's campus that attract migrating monarchs. At about 2 pm, the total number of nectaring monarchs increased steadily with each passing day. On Saturday and Sunday, they totaled almost 100.
Evanston, IL
Latitude: 42.1 Longitude: -87.7
Observed by: mona lynn
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