Date: 07/08/2023

Number: 15

09 July - Several adult monarchs observed flying into and out of milkweed patches all day. The large increase in numbers and frequency of monarch flyers the past few days seems to be the latest generation of adults freshly emerging; July 1st was five weeks after first adult monarch observed here.

08 July - Casually observing one acre, counted fifteen monarchs flying during a three-hour period, often near milkweed patch, most low over grass/wildflowers, a couple high up over the treetops riding the breezes, with gulls and turkey vultures soaring very high even above the hazy high clouds. Most of those counted came from behind me, and were flying upwind, but some may have circled around and been duplicates. Some make many passes over the milkweeds repeatedly circling back downwind then back toward the blooms as if intoxicated by the fragrance and trying to choose the best plant; I counted twenty such repeat passes by one individual.

07 July - Adult monarch on a small green goldenrod basking in morning sun.

06 July - Two adult monarchs observed across ten-minute period over a field and milkweed patch of a dozen plants blooming.

05 Jul - Observed at least two (probably four) adult monarchs flying over small blooming milkweed patch, two dove down into milkweeds, two others spun around each other quickly in a tight circle and rose straight up making a helix as if riding a perfect cylinder shape until they were hidden from view up between maple trees, a really amazing sight.

Pictured monarch flyer is from July 6th.

Gulliver, MI

Latitude: 46.1 Longitude: -86.1

Observed by: James
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