Date: 05/14/2010

Number: 1

I'm a slave to my computer and have been trying to catch up with emails and the like that have accumulated over the last 10 days. But, the appearance of a bit of sunlight through the clouds inspired me to take a break and to walk through Monarch Waystation #1, so wonderfully maintained by Margarete Johnson.

I was at the north end of the garden when I encountered two monarchs engaged in an intimate conference. They flew off conjoined to the north upon my rude interruption. Sixty seconds later I spied a female monarch searching for tender milkweed leaves. She too left the area flying to the N/NE. Previously I had only seen one other monarch in the area (on the 9th). All 4 monarchs were large and "fresh" and flew with the urgency seen only at this time of the year. It has been many years since I've seen a mated pair of monarchs this early in the season.

Red admirals are now quite abundant in the area. There was a small pulse of red admirals that pushed through in two or three days about 2.5 weeks ago then only a few until the last two days.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch

Lawrence, KS

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -95.2

Observed by:
Contact Observer

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