Date: 11/09/2013

Number: 100

This weekend we went camping along the Colorado River in Western Arizona. Earlier in the year we scouted areas to look for monarchs on their migration or during the winter. Now it was time to see if they were there - or not. About two weeks earlier Keith Graves spotted about sixty monarchs near Lake Havasu. But this area was unexplored. A few hours after we set up camp, we walked along the Colorado as the sun was lowering. It didn't take too long to find them! Monarchs were flying high above the tree tops of three massive Willow Acacia trees, Acacia salicina, in bloom nestled together a short distance from the shore on a peninsula. The trees were huge, over 35 feet tall and the monarchs favored the top branches for the night. We needed binoculars to confirm they were monarchs in the dimming light and took photos. The queen butterflies congregated about half way up the trees and were easier to see. We even saw a small number of painted ladies in proximity to each other for the night. Each morning and evening we watched. In the morning they nectared on the Acacia flowers and by 10 a.m. a few would dip down to sip the morning dew in a nearby thatch of grass. We tagged a few and their abdomens were plump. By 10:30 each morning at least 20 to 25 began flying south along the river and more would arrive during the day. Out of the 150 or more monarchs we saw over 3 days we only saw two males exhibiting territorial behavior. No mating was seen. A park volunteer said this was the largest number of monarchs he has seen at the park in six years. He also said the Acacia trees were blooming a few weeks earlier than usual this year. A true "Bed & Breakfast" break on their journey. We were glued to the trees - quite a glorious event to

Parker, AZ

Latitude: 33.8 Longitude: -114.1

Observed by: Gail
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