Date: 09/02/2010

Number: 1000

September 7
There was a huge roost both last evening (9/6) and this evening (9/7). My small woods was completely filled with clouds of Monarchs. I counted over 200 on one tree, and I estimate there had to be more than 1,000 total. A strong wind out of the south kept them here.

September 2
As a storm approached this afternoon, the butterflies began coming in to roost. This evening there approximately 200 of them here, with a few more still coming in. There are no clusters - they're scattered throughout the trees on my acreage. This is the earliest I've had roosts in 11 years of living here.

As for nearby nectar sources, my whole yard is geared toward butterflies. I have a two acre field with goldenrod, black-eyed susan, purple thistles, asters, and other wild flowers. In addition, there's a large butterfly garden with lots of flowers blooming - phlox, asters, Joe Pye weed, black-eyed susan, Sullivan's milkweed, cosmos, zinnias, obedient plant, sneezeweed, etc.

Shell Rock, IA

Latitude: 42.7 Longitude: -92.6

Observed by: Anna
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