Date: 10/07/2014

Number: 200

Overnight low 67F. Sunrise humidity 90%. At 11:00 temp 80F humidity 50%. At 16:00 temp 96F humidity 20%. Wind strong SSW all day.

I made some incidental observations around 11:00 while doing another project. Monarchs were on Gayfeather essentially as last three days, some places fairly dense. For example 8 Monarchs in one small 10’ x 25’ patch. A number also flushed from trees and shrubs I passed.

I made at more complete circuit starting at 16:00, when it was 96 degrees, low humidity, sunny and windy. Few Monarchs on flowers. But those that were did not behave any differently in the heat.

Checking one of the larger the tree groves, initially I saw only a few inside on the usual twig perches. After a few minutes I caused a large flush when I walked near the edge of the trees. I discovered that Monarchs had collected at the edge of the grove in the shade which was also the downwind side of the grove. Most were in the grass just outside the grove. Others were just 5 feet or less within the grove edge. All were on the ground or on vegetation within 6 inches of it. They flushed readily, flew up quickly, then returned more or less to where they came from. They appeared to sit motionless when settled.

The other large grove I checked was essentially the same situation. A few more inside the grove. A greater share at the shaded edge were on shrubs inside the edge vs. in grass outside, but all still low to ground.

Their location on the ground would have higher humidity, in addition to being in deep shade and on the downwind side of the grove.

I also flushed Monarchs when passing smaller trees and shrubs. These Monarchs were usually not right at the ground, but not higher than about 5 feet either. Those trees were mostly along a creek, more protected from wind and sun by terrain than the groves on higher ground.

The first picture is one almost on the ground. Incidentally there are at least ten species of native plants in this picture. The second is actually on the ground. Both a couple feet inside the edge of grove. (I didn't get close enough to those in grass to see them before they flushed.)

Chalk Mountain, TX

Latitude: 32.1 Longitude: -97.9

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