Date: 09/08/2018

Number: 100

Estimating around 100 butterflies
On three different trees -two maples one ash
All roosting on branches that are far reaching- horizontal branches that stretch far from the tree.
Monarchs where not deep in branches but on the outer, lower branches about 15 ft from ground.
They had been across the street on a neighbouring tree several hours earlier.
I noticed many butterflies flying south towards the lake and saw them collecting on one tree just at sunset.
This was a day that was suddenly cool after a long stretch of hot weather. It had been 30 degrees celcius the entire week and had dropped down that night to 10 degrees. This was the day before a storm.
In the morning after the roost, (09/09/18) it was very cold and the sun was blocked by hazy cloud. They took a long time to leave. once and a while they would fan themselves. one by one left, sometimes in spurts of 5-8 at a time, however it was about 10am before the last ones left.
They stayed around this area that has a stretch of natural beach and lots of goldenrod.
There is milkweed here at the beginning of spring.

Ajax, ON

Latitude: 43.8 Longitude: -79

Observed by: Stacey
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