Date: 09/20/2010

Number: 1

I dropped into the small community of Wicklow, east of Cobourg and about 110 km east of Toronto to check out the monarch migration. Temperature about 70 F but a very cool westerly wind down at the lake. Lots of monarchs flying into the wind, stopping in sheltered areas to nectar. New England aster definitely the flower of choice. I was quite surprised by the number of monarchs I captured in an hour - about 75.

I was also surprised slightly further east to examine milkweed in a clover field that had been harvested about a month ago and which three weeks ago had many large caterpillars. Again were caterpillars to be collected - I collected 40, mostly fully developed. So....there are more monarchs to come. What a great year.

Off to a private school further east tomorrow for butterfly activities related to the death three years ago of a 6 year old student. Her parents dedicated a school butterfly garden in their daughter's memory and each year the school holds a day to honor this student, who died suddenly from a virus. Glad to have monarch eggs, larva, pupa and adults to share with the school.

Wicklow, ON

Latitude: 44 Longitude: -78

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