Date: 10/14/2015

Number: 90

Multiple small groups of Monarchs landing on pecan trees. Mostly on the lower branches on the west side of the trees. Trees were located in a backyard in Sundown, Texas. It was approx. 7:30 in the evening (10/14) with clear skies and very slight breeze.

October 20
The wind direction has varied alot during the last few weeks, depending on cold fronts moving in from the north or south westerly when our temps have been up in the 80's. That particular day was fairly calm all day with a slight breeze from the southwest.

The location was in my mom's back yard in town. She has four pecan trees one on the north end, one on the south end and two on the east side (side by side). The back yard is fenced in with the house located on the west side. The Monarchs were mostly located on the north side of the south tree and the west side of the south west tree. With the direction the breeze was blowing it seemed these locations gave the best wind break. They also stayed mostly on the lower limbs.

As far as Nectar, Sundown is surrounded by pasture and farm land, mostly cotton and this year alot of maize. My mom plants the standard petunias and a few geraniums, but nothing that is geared specifically to draw butterflies. For some reason they like her pecan trees, I have one at my house 2 streets to the west and have not seen any landing in my tree.

About 10-15 years ago during migration she had so many monarchs that you couldn't see any green leaves, they made the limbs look like the leaves had already changed and was ready to drop. During this time they were using the same south tree but staying on the north side.

Since the earlier sighting (of 10/14) I have only see single strays fluttering about. There were 2 fluttering about my back yard on Saturday and yesterday I noticed some when I was driving home and feeling bad because I think they fell victim to the grill on my truck.

Sundown, TX

Latitude: 33.4 Longitude: -102.5

Observed by: Ginny
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