Date: 10/19/2022

Number: 120

Thousands of butterflies traveling south-east throughout the afternoon.

[Observer contributed additional information, added by Journey North, 10/20/22]:

I noticed them as I was driving home around 3:45 PM, the air was filled with butterflies all around me as I drove along 107 in Edinburg. I'd estimate when I got home there were at least 50/minute flying by my immediate vicinity. I went back outside a little after 5:00 PM and they were still going. The larger ones had marking and colors like monarchs. Mixed in were quite a few smaller ones that weren't as vibrant in color (more of a brown overtone) but they moved so fast I couldn't get a good look. The little ones that I was able to get close to did appear to be monarchs, just not as brightly colored as the big ones.

They were all going the same direction, more or less east south-east. They flew about 8 to 20 feet off the ground and did not stop. It was sunny with a light breeze, about 75 degrees.

If there were 50/minute flying by, I would guess that of those maybe 1-3 per minute were the larger and brighter monarchs. 120 monarchs is a good estimate. It did last about 2 hours.

Mission, TX

Latitude: 26.3 Longitude: -98.3

Observed by: Kevin
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