Date: 09/15/2015

Number: 200

On the evening of Tues Sept 15th, between 6pm and sunset at 7.15pm, we saw adult Monarchs converging from our hayfields on an Elm tree and Black Walnut tree in our yard. We counted the butterflies in 2 groups of c 30 in two spots on lower branches, mostly on the east sides. More butterflies were visible higher up in the trees but couldn't be counted. I would therefore estimate a minimum of 100 present but possibly several hundred higher up in the trees. The same butterflies were roosting at 7am (9/16) and gradually dispersed into the hayfields by 8am. Again at least 100 were counted but many more were present. One photo attached but many more taken.

The weather was very calm/still; most of the Monarchs seemed to be roosting on the east side of the trees so that they would get the morning sun; if a breeze had come up they wouldn't have been shielded from it; today (9/17) is breezy so I'll see what they do tonight if they are still here. They did roost last night (9/16); really hard to tell how many but looked about the same so I'd say minimum 200 and maybe a lot more; there are lots of them scattered around the hayfields this afternoon feeding

Athens, ON

Latitude: 44.6 Longitude: -76

Observed by: Peter
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