September 14
In traveling southeast from Altoona, Iowa, to Fort Madison, Iowa, we counted more than 100 monarchs crossing the highways. Along the Mississippi River late in the day, numerous monarchs could be seen traveling south along the river. The monarchs seemed to be plentiful in southeast Iowa and in northeast Missouri.

September 13
In the wake of three days of rain, dampness, and cool weather, today was sunny and mild, and the monarch butterflies were on the move once again. During a morning and an afternoon visit to Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, 643 monarchs were counted, the largest number to date this autumn. In both visits, a large stand of sawtooth sunflowers in the northern part of the refuge was the main attraction for nectaring monarchs. In a flurry of activity in late afternoon, 266 monarchs were observed in 35 minutes as they flew here and there among the large stand of sunflowers--some of which now reach 8 to 10 feet.

September 9
The first "Monarch Madness" program was held Saturday at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. Park staff members worked with participating children and adults in tagging 51 monarch butterflies under a program supported by the University of Kansas Monarch Watch. The morning was cloudy, damp, and foggy at the start, but by the time the prospective taggers took to the field in late morning, they stirred up plenty of monarchs in the habitat near the prairie center and along the refuge's savanna trail. Another 111 monarchs were observed indepedently during the morning, including 85 over the noon hour in the north part of the refuge. As the day warmed up and cleared off somewhat, the monarchs seemed to be migrating into the refuge from the north.

September 6
Monarchs were on the move this morning at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. In two hours of observation, 238 monarchs were counted. They were nectaring on tickseeds, thistles, and goldenrod. This is the largest number observed this fall, indicating the next week likely will be even more active with migrating monarchs.

September 3
Rainfall late Saturday afternoon dampened the prairie grasses at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, slowing the monarch activity on Sunday morning. In the first hour Sunday, two monarchs were observed, one of which was drying its wings atop a sawtooth sunflower. As the sun came out and began to dry up the prairie, the monarchs began moving again. Sixty-one monarchs were counted in the next hour. Among the monarchs nectaring on tickseeds was a viceroy butterfly.

September 2
The numbers of monarchs observed seemed to confirm the early phase of the monarch migration has begun over central Iowa. Monarchs could be observed flying into the refuge from the north, and the butterflly activity continued to grow at the refuge. In two and one-half hours, 195 monarchs were counted. Once again the tickseed sunflowers and common thistles were the favored wildflowers for nectaring. The goldenrod is in full bloom but has yet to be attracting the monarchs as it has in other years. An occasional monarch could be seen stopping on an ox-eyed sunflower or cup plant.

September 1
Monarch activity at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge continued to increase as 155 monarchs were observed in a bit more than two hours. The most popular nectaring flowers were tickseed sunflowers and common thistles. Numerous monarchs were found in a large stand of tickseeds where the butterflies were flying to and fro as they moved from flower to flower. Often two or more monarchs were chasing each other in the air above.

August 30
Sixty-seven monarch butterflies were noted during a visit of one and one-half hours in the morning at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge. Many of them were spotted on the northern edge of the refuge, suggesting they were part of the early movement of monarchs beginning their migration to the south. They often were seen coming up out of the big bluestem grasses where they likely were staying overnight. Field observations at the refuge during the summer months did not reflect as much monarch activity in this northern area.

Prairie City, IA

Latitude: 41.6 Longitude: -93.3

Observed by: Robert
Contact Observer

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