Date: 08/16/2009

Number: 1

Editor's Note: Monarchs have roosted at this location in the past. We are in contact the observer, and if/when a roost appears this fall it will be reported here.

Comments from the observer:


I don't like to be a pessimist but right here in Cannon Falls area it has been the poorest year ever. Very little production locally. Only chance now is for a good migration. I have 1000 tags and may be sending them back unless north of here has had a lot better weather for monarch production.

Today should have been a perfect day for monarchs. sunny, 80's, mild to some gusty winds, and ,most importantly, the liatris is just starting to hit peak bloom, yet only about 15 monarchs here. Many years that number could have been 500. Have not yet tagged a monarch. Have observed no roosts, as so few around ( but generally the hard migration wouldn't have started here yet.) Usually lots of building of local monarchs August 1- 23 or so, then hard migration somewhere around August 23 - September 1.

I raise most of my Liatris lig as kind of a biannual as some kind of insect eats the heck out of the leaves as it emerges in the spring, so I start all in pots from seed, keep it growing in pots all summer, then transplant to my annual beds the next spring. Lots of work but we have to adapt just as the pests have adapted to my unnatural abundance of these plants.

To put it bluntly lowest ever numbers here. Somewhat hopeful that numbers might increase to average as the migration moves through. An awful lot would have to change in the next 7 to 10 days to even get up to average here. Hope it's better elsewhere.

Cannon Falls, MN

Latitude: 44.5 Longitude: -92.8

Observed by: Tom
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.