Date: 08/28/2018

Number: 300

Have been observing hundreds of Monarchs nectering on the red clover for weeks. Things have been really picking up the last few days. I don't think I have had a day this summer where I didn't see either monarchs or caterpillars. More (lots!) than I have seen before. The wind has been almost nonexistent for most of the month. This means I can sometimes tell when a monarch is just feeding or when it's "traveling". If it's breezy who knows, they are out of sight too fast. So Far, no traveling, They fly out but then come back. I have the feeling that these are locals raised right here. They have not started to migrate just yet. That, and I spotted a caterpillar just 3 days ago.
Question for the community: Isn't it a bit late for the third generation to be hatching? I thought all the fourth generation butterflies pupated farther north than here. And I understood that the migration hasn't reached this far south just yet. So which is it? Have I got late 3rd generation hatching late or fourth generations too far south?

Brookings, SD

Latitude: 44.2 Longitude: -96.8

Observed by: tim
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.