Date: 09/09/2008

Number: 100

Last year was the first time we noticed the monarchs roosting.
We have just recently moved into this property. It is an area of some timber with surrounding soybean and corn fields. We have had some earlier than usual cooler weather so at first thought the leaves had just started turning orange. When we started looking at the leaves we realized the whole branch was moving with the monarchs. Last year they were totally covering the lower area of a very large sycamore tree in our back yard. This year they are in quite a few of the trees. It seems like they are like our sudden arrival of hummingbirds...time to feed and rest ..and head south. It almost seemed like one more butterfly landing would have made the whole branch break off. I took photos of the branches and showed at work. Until you see that many in one small area, you have no idea of the magnitude of their migration.

Editor’s Note: We are estimating a minimum of 100 monarchs based on observer’s photos

Stuart, IA

Latitude: 41.5 Longitude: -94.3

Observed by: Carolyn
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