Date: 10/22/2000

Number: 1

On a trip to West Texas I kept track of Monarchs as we traveled over 600 miles from Houston to Ft Davis, Texas during peak migration on 10/22/2000. Traveling west on Interstate 10 from 10 am to 2 pm I counted monarchs crossing the highway. There were hundreds between the towns of Kerrville and Sonora on a vector of southeast. The largest group was seen just west of Kerrville, where I saw 6 in a flying pattern close together. Between Sonora and the Pecos River I saw 38 monarchs in about 75 miles.
There were 20 monarchs nectaring on Mexican Sunflowers 1 mile east of the Caverns of Sonora at the Sonora Rest Stop, which is beautifully planted in butterfly attracting flowers. All appeared in excellent condition and about equally male and female. The butterflies would let me touch them, they seemed most intent on tanking up on nectar.

I did not expect to see many west of the Pecos River, but I saw 6 of them, between 2 to 2:30 pm. The last one at mile marker 261. What a hardy creature, as there seems to be nothing for them to consume in the West Texas desert, but there they were!

Sonora, TX

Latitude: 30.5 Longitude: -100.5

Observed by:
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