Date: 08/22/2019

Number: 24

The first (and best) roost was Wednesday, Aug. 21. The butterflies on the north side of the field (scattered red clover) were roosting singly and in pairs mostly. I used my binoculars to spot some monarchs that were crossing the road about ¼ of a mile south, so I decided to drive down there and see if the large trees in that lawn area might be forming a cluster. It was probably 7:30 when I made that move, giving me about half an hour before the sun set. The first tree was empty, but there were butterflies flying around some fruit trees in the yard and after about 5 minutes I spotted the cluster forming above me in a large maple. Two clusters formed very close together (see photo).

The nectar source was a long narrow field, perhaps 40 acres of unmown hay, but not much alfalfa. I had spotted enough red clover there two days before to know that monarchs might use it for nectaring.

Temps went from 70s to 60s while I was there, then ended up at about 50 degrees in the night.

Wind was from the Northwest the first night (Wednesday, 8/21); Thursday it was mainly Northeast. On Wednesday, the monarchs were on the southeast side of the maple, so the lee side, shielded. Eventually it died down to near calm. Thursday was less wind, mostly calm from 7 o’clock until I left at 8:30. Monarchs were sheltered in the small roost I saw at the north end of the red clover field.

Most of the monarchs were gone since the night before. I suspect 90% of them migrated with the north wind today.
I did see one small roost of six and another of 12 so still had some fun.
Writing this on 8/24........last night saw no Monarchs at that site, but did see one lone monarch in an alfalfa field to the south. Conditions were perfect, but right now there are very few monarchs in this area.
Our biggest hatch will come in the first week of September, as is usually the case.

Town of Farmington, WI

Latitude: 45.2 Longitude: -92.7

Observed by: Pat
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