Date: 01/05/2009

Number: 1

Summary

I’m convinced that we had a winter kill of most wintering monarchs along the central South Carolina coast this past winter. As of March 23rd, I have seen no monarchs here since a 27 February sighting, despite many days with suitable weather for butterfly activity.

Observations as of February 28

Late fall and winter 2008-2009 (late November through early February 2009) were colder than usual in the coastal region, with a dozen or so nights of freeze and several nights near 25 degrees F. Sightings of monarchs from mid-December through early February were much reduced as compared to such observations during the same period during the preceding several winters. From early January through early February there have been few days with suitable weather (generally ≥65 0F and mostly sunny) for wintering monarch activity, and few monarchs were sighted during that period.

Despite less than ideal conditions, I tagged 41 monarchs in the Charleston, SC area (Folly Beach, James Island and Mount Pleasant) from 16 November 2008 through 5 January 2009. Of these, 2 were tagged in January and I saw at least another 7 monarchs.

I searched for monarchs at Patriot’s Point, Mount Pleasant on 8 February, but saw no monarchs. The weather was favorable with sunny skies and ~70 degrees F. I did see a few cloudless sulphurs, orange sulphurs, a common buckeye, and a red admiral. Several prior freeze nights may have killed monarchs attempting to winter there, but I’d presume that some would have survived. I’ve also seen no monarchs at Ft. Johnson, James Island (the site of my work office) over the past three days despite acceptable weather. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more winter monarchs.

Observations as of March 23

As an update on my “winter” monarch observations, between 8 February and today (23 March) I’ve only seen one monarch, one at Ft. Johnson on 27 February. A single monarch was also reported to me several days before by a friend who saw the butterfly in the same area. I also made two trips to Patriot’s Point, Mt. Pleasant (very near Charleston) in late February on days with sunny skies and warm temperature, but I saw no monarchs despite having captured and/or seen a dozen or so (total) there over the Dec-Jan period. I’m convinced that we had a winter kill of most wintering monarchs along the central SC coast this past winter (it is now spring here for sure). I have seen no monarchs here since the 27 February butterfly, despite many days with suitable weather for butterfly activity. I’ll be in the field tomorrow in an area of south Charleston County near the coast where I (and others) have seen wintering monarchs in the past few years. I’ll be on the lookout for monarchs.

Charleston, SC

Latitude: 32.8 Longitude: -79.9

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