Date: 05/15/2006

Number: 1

My husband just spotted a female Monarch visiting the Dandelions in our meadow---the only plant blooming. There are no milkweed plants even emerging from the soil. We know, because that's what we were looking for this afternoon. I did, however, purchase four Blood-Flower Asclepias curassavica plants from Mayflower Nursery in Green Bay on 05/11/06. I just placed them now in different locations outside. I hope she finds them. This is way too early to have the Monarchs arrive here.

We are sure it was a female Monarch. My husband saw it flying in our meadow. However, we followed it until it landed on a Dandelion flower, where we got a very close look...close enough to determine it was a female, no male scent glands. Time was approximately 4:00 p.m. We are at the 45th parallel.
I sent out a notice to all my contacts here in Door Co. last night and received an e-mail this morning from the asst. administrator at the Ridges Sanctuary in Baileys Harbor saying she saw a Monarch at the Ridges yesterday, too.

I just spoke with Karen Newbern of The Ridges Sanctuary. She saw her Monarch yesterday about 3:00 p.m. near the Rangelight at The Ridges in Baileys Harbor. Karen could not get close enough to make out the sex and she said it was a very worn specimen, whereas the one my husband and I saw was in very good shape. There is no doubt about our ID. We have much experience with Monarch rearing, monitoring, and lecturing. People are always shocked by my photos of the chrysalis formation. It's amazing how many people have never experienced that miracle.

Karen, John and I assume the Monarchs were blown up the lake shore by the winds and storms that hit the area last week. For us, it has not been a warm Spring; it's been unusually COLD.

Baileys Harbor, Mud Lake, WI

Latitude: 45.1 Longitude: -87.2

Observed by: Janice
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