Date: 10/05/2020

Number: 1000

Large fall roosts in pecan trees west of the Hardin Administration Building on the campus of Abilene Christian University. I have additional photos and video if it would be helpful. I'll be checking again tonight!

I suspect the roost formed over the weekend (Oct. 3-4), but the first time I saw it was Oct. 5. I went out Oct. 6 and there was some roosting, but much fewer butterflies - I think one-half or fewer than the day before, and they had spread out a bit from the big location.

The 1,000 was a complete guess - it's the largest roost I've seen in several years.

There are roses in bloom very close to the roost site, but ACU has pollinator gardens a building or two away from the roost site. Gregg's blue mist, asters, vitex, Turk's cap.

The trees were somewhat shielded from north and east wind, but had full exposure on the west and partial to the south.

[Postscript : The big roosts left on the morning of Oct. 12. We had a little cold front come through Sunday night (Oct 11). We still have some individual stragglers around campus, but the bulk of the butterflies have moved on. ]

Abilene, TX

Latitude: 32.5 Longitude: -99.7

Observed by: Rendi
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