Date: 10/19/2010

Number: 200

WE HAVE A ROOST!!! I walked the section of the beach between Portofino Island Resort and Range Point along Santa Rosa Sound in the Gulf Islands National Seashore. I began my walk at 5:30pm. I decided to walk into the dunes today because it was close to sunset and I knew the butterflies should be finding a place to roost for the night. I walked to the edge of a oak grove and noticed monarchs starting to gather. I walked over and around several dunes. I noticed Monarchs at other small oak groves scattered throughout the dunes. These groves were hard to get close to, so I headed back to my original grove. By now the butterflies were forming clusters. I was seeing hundreds of Monarchs. I knew I had found a roost.....in fact I suspect that each grove was a roost.

Editor’s Note: We are estimating 200 monarchs based on observer’s estimate of “hundreds.”

Pensacola Beach, FL

Latitude: 30.3 Longitude: -87.1

Observed by: Mary
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