Date: 09/27/2014

Number: 200

We have had good numbers of monarchs at Monarch Watch for each of the last 4 days (25-28 September) with the promise of another good day tomorrow. The numbers seen are certainly greater than observed during the last two migrations. This is another late migration.

The leading edge of the migration usually reaches here between the 9-11th of September with an estimated peak on the 23rd. It's hard to say but, it's probable that the peak occurred yesterday - the 27th.

The monarchs are passing through so there is constant turnover. I know that because I watch a flower outside my window. Monarchs approach it from the north and leave to the south at a rate of several per hour and the butterflies are different sizes, and sexes. There were times on the 27th when there were as many as 50 monarchs on the flowers around the building, resting in the trees and visiting the flowers in Monarch Waystation#1. I made periodic observations from about 11:30AM to after 7PM.

The butterflies have their distinctive migratory coloration - a deeper and more intense orange than summer monarchs - and are larger than usually seen on these dates - leading me to suspect we will see slightly smaller monarchs in the next 10 days with an increase in the proportion of females.

Courtesy of Monarch Watch. Monarch number estimated by JN

Lawrence, KS

Latitude: 39 Longitude: -95.2

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