Date: 05/05/2010

Number: 1

Nectaring on dandelion. I watched a bit with binoculars from about 10 feet away. I was walking down the road during my lunch break looking for dragonflies and butterflies and saw it while I was going in both directions on the road. The butterfly was female and neither fresh nor worn (an in-between).

Certainly a Monarch (I have been a North American Butterfly Association count compiler for the NABA count in this area). I sent Journey North the message because I thought it unusual because it is early for my area and I heard that Monarchs were low in numbers out of Mexico this year. However, on the other hand we have benefited in this area from southerly winds for several days. Maybe this butterfly found favourable winds).

This is two or three weeks earlier than I have seen Monarchs in other years and is well before the milkweeds have emerged.

There was flush of red admirals on this past weekend and I saw an American Lady the week before. Definitely not a viceroy which is the only similar butterfly in this area.

Gravenhurst, ON

Latitude: 44.9 Longitude: -79.4

Observed by: Ron
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