Date: 09/25/2016

Number: 203

What a fantastic monarch butterfly day yesterday on the Blue Ridge Parkway southwest of Asheville. The temperature was in the mid 80s. It was partly overcast and there were light breezes. We counted 203 between 11:26 A.M. and 1:57 P.M. (We basically stopped counting at 200.) Our primary location for this count was the John Rock View overlook at 5,330’ elevation. Counting was difficult throughout the day because many butterflies were feeding on goldenrod and aster, and they moved around a lot. Some just glided overhead. Later at Cherry Gap overlook we counted 30 in 15 minutes. The busiest place, however, was Pounding Mill overlook at 4,770’ elevation. We didn’t try to count there, but safe to say there were dozens present, passing by or feeding, at any particular moment during the remainder of the afternoon. (The photo was not cropped. I really was that close.) Editor's Note: Migration rate: 80 per hour.

Canton, NC

Latitude: 35.3 Longitude: -82.9

Observed by: Mickey
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