Date: 08/16/2001

Number: 1

Hundreds and hundreds of monarchs are filling our trees this evening! The butterflies definitely were not here in these numbers until this evening. Thursday night about 6 p.m. we found large aggregations of monarchs totaling approximately 1000 butterflies. They were clustered in groups ranging from ten to several hundred in a cluster. During the week we had observed an increased number of single monarchs flying south through the area. Temperatures had dropped from the 80's-90's to the 70's, with lows in the mid-50's at night.

Daily Field Observations

Friday, August 17

Saturday, August 18

Sunday, August 19

Monday, August 20

Tuesday, August 21

Wednesday, August 22

Thursday, August 23

Friday, August 24

Saturday, August 25

Sunday, August 26

Monday, August 27

Monday, August 28

Monday, August 29

Monday, August 30

Monday, August 31

Wednesday, Sept. 5




August 16 (con't.)
They were clustered on the S/SE branches of 11 maple, oak, elm & birch trees in our yard. The branches of choice were 10-20 ft from the ground-both with leaves and bare. The butterflies were still on the trees at 8 a.m. the next morning. We are surrounded with alfafa (recently mowed), clover (in full bloom) and corn fields. This is a very quiet rural area with good milkweed growth. The butterflies have also been attracted to open sugar-water feeders in the yard for the finches, orioles and hummingbirds. We found no monarchs in the butterly house.

Hassan, MN

Latitude: 45.2 Longitude: -93.6

Observed by: Ruthan
Contact Observer

The observer's e-mail address will not be disclosed.
Contact will be made through a web-based form.