Date: 10/01/2010

Number: 1

The early morning rain and clouds looked bleak for monarchs at first, but later in the day as the sun warmed up the lucky folks who stuck around for the next site visit along the Falls Lake rail line were rewarded with some good numbers of monarchs. 16 were tagged there and at least twice as many were seen, all heading southwest. Interestingly they were NOT flying down the rail line cut OR the lake, but seemed to pop right out of the woods or just over the tree tops into available nectar sites.

Baccharus still being ignored though it is in full bloom now. The Bidens that was 99% of the monarchs nectar source just a week ago, was bloomed out and all the petals washed off from 5 days of heavy rain.

Today the nectar of choice was clearly 99% Goldenrod, a clean switch in preference! Wonder if they will switch to Baccharus after the Goldenrod is done if they are still coming through in good enough numbers.

On the way back I saw and caught a few more on goldenrod, but none were seen too far south of I85. Clearly the north section of the lake is the main "flyway"

Days total was 32 tagged, 80 seen from 10am - 3pm. Still mostly males.

Courtesy of Carolina Leps

Falls Lake State Recreation Area, NC

Latitude: 36 Longitude: -78.7

Observed by:
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