Date: 01/01/2006

Number: 1

Dec. 18, 2005

This afternoon, I spoke by telephone with Ontario butterfly breeders Rod and Joan Parrott, who will be spending the winter months Punta Gorda, Florida, north of For Meyers (temperature 80 F today). Rod reports that he is seeing monarchs on a daily basis. Two years ago, he says he only saw about 6 during his entire stay in Florida, but the situation is very different this year. They are finding monarch eggs and larva, and are rearing these in their kitchen (to later be released). Rod says that the flight of the adults is random as opposed to being directional. Eggs are being found on "white vine" (milkweed family), a yellow milkweed and tropical milkweed. A nearby resident who has a butterfly garden told him that monarchs began to arrive in Punta Gorda towards the end of September.
Prior to that, he or she saw none. This person takes the monarch larva into schools. Rod will continue to record his observations.

Contributed by Don Davis

Punta Gorda, FL

Latitude: 27 Longitude: -82.2

Observed by: Donald A.
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