Date: 09/17/2008

Number: 16

They're here!!! The monarch situation here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, between Charlottesville and Lynchburg, has been worrisome this summer and fall. We have large flower gardens and four species of milkweed growing around our home and all spring, summer and fall we have seen almost no monarchs and except for one female in August who laid a few eggs. I have seen no caterpillars at all.

In the last two days (15-16 September 08), there were two adults nectaring. However, at 3 PM today (17 Sept 08) I counted 17 fresh, obviously migrants nectaring on Zinnias, Verbena, Buddleias and fall composites.

And at 7PM they were gyrating around and we saw a small cluster (count ~ > 16) forming on our Tulip Poplar!!! And, they had NOT arrived 20 miles south of us at Sweet briar College as of 3:30 PM... Will keep you posted!

Roseland, VA

Latitude: 37.8 Longitude: -79

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