Date: 09/10/2012

Number: 1

Two weeks ago (8/27) we drove to Mille Lacs Lake (Minnesota) and back,200 miles round trip...ONE MONARCH, and this during the migration period. Last week, September 5th, prime night of the migratory season here, we traveled to the Ney Center: the major area roost. NO MONARCHS!!!!!!!!!!!

Today (9/10) we drove to Minneapolis and back... NO MONARCHS

On August 18th, we attempted to find Monarch larvae for a demonstration for our annual Henderson Hummingbird Hurrah celebration. NO LARVAE...FOUR COLLECTORS... NO LARVAE!!!!! We had to import a single chrysalis from Hutchinson Minnesota for the demonstration! We've been doing a lot of additional driving in our part of Minnesota during the past three weeks; practically Monarchless

The really sad part of it is, more Monarchs came back to our area of Minnesota, earlier than ever, more than ever in May. They immediately began laying eggs, but things went downhill from there. Same was true of Red Admirals; 40, in a single cherry tree, pollinating on a Sunday in May. Lots and lots of nettles on our hillsides. Three Red Admirals yesterday, September 9th. However, an extraordinary hatch of Mourning Cloaks. We had 15 on our fallen pear fruit Sunday the 9th of September.

LeSueur, MN

Latitude: 44.5 Longitude: -93.8

Observed by: Barbara and Arthur
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