Monarchs News from Journey North

In case you don't subscribe to the email, I got this today:

Mark Your Calendar: Monarch Butterflies Are Coming!

1) The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies: Tuesday, January 27
A TV show not to be missed - The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies--can be seen on PBS this coming Tuesday, Jan. 27th at 8:00 p.m. EST. Follow the 2,000 mile migration of Monarch butterflies to a sanctuary in the Highlands of Mexico. Monarchs are not yet an endangered species, but they face many challenges in both the United States and Mexico, and their annual migration is becoming an endangered phenomenon. "You will be awestruck to see what these little flying jewels go through to complete their brief life cycle," says Dr. Lincoln Brower who is featured in the program. "Each one of us can make a difference in increasing the Monarch population."
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/butterflies/about.html

2) Journey North Begins! Thursday, February 5
Journey North begins in February when the monarchs are at their winter refuge deep in central Mexico. The monarch's unique winter habitat is found on only 12 mountaintops on the planet, and the monarch's story is one of nature's most incredible examples of adaptation and survival. In a unique partnership, you can join students and scientists across North America this spring to track the monarch butterfly's migration from Mexico. Join us!
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/index.html

Thanks for the advance notice! I'll have to set my DVR so I can watch it over and over. The Monarchs in my area don't migrate as is evidenced by the fact that I am currently raising 14 cats, 4 chrysalids, and 10 eggs! Of course, there's even more at the museum. I love the little critters even though they eat too much. When they wiggle those antenna at you, how can you resist, lol?

Melanie

great news. I'm going to watch it.

bump.

Tonight's the night

Hello Mrs_Ed,
I started a thread on the program too...and I'll be taping it too...WooHoo!!!
I can't wait either!!!
I saw the migration this year for the 1st time in my life on Sept 24th...It was AWESOME seeing so many go over our house at once...I counted 131 on that afternoon...I was in awe!!!

Oh, so cool! I went looking for roosts, but never found any!

I'm definitely watching it tonight. Should be really fun and interesting.
e

Another piece of news from my Journey North newsletter …

"How Many Monarchs in Mexico This Winter?

Scientists Measured the Population in December
The twelve major monarch butterfly sanctuaries in Mexico are measured every winter in December. These yearly measurements give scientists a chance to estimate the size of the entire overwintering population.

Everyone Expected a Small Population
Last fall at the end of the migration we asked you to predict how large this winter's population in Mexico would be. People across the monarch's range had reported low numbers during fall migration. For example, only half as many overnight roosts were reported in fall 2008 as fall 2007. Monarchs were scarce during the summer breeding season, too. Based on observations like these Dr. Chip Taylor of Monarch Watch predicted the population would measure less than 5 hectares, and perhaps as small as 3-4 hectares. Many people returned unused tags "along with short notes lamenting the lack of monarchs this past fall and requests for an explanation as to why the fall 2008 monarch population was so low," he commented in Monarch Watch Blog. So what did the scientists in Mexico find?

A Surprise!
Last week the scientists announced good news. This year's population is not as small as predicted. In fact, it is slightly larger than last year's."

Mrs_Ed,

Thanks for the update...
I'm just wondering why so many were returning the tags then...where were the Monarchs?
Hmmmmmm...maybe they took an airbus to Mexico? LOL
It just seems strange that they are down there...with higher #'s, but the sightings were low in the US...
Something to ponder :)

yes indeed. Maybe less citizen scientists? Dunno. It will be interesting to read more on the subject.

I believe I mentioned on another thread that I saw the migration happening here last year on September 24th. I counted 131 heading south over our house during the coarse of the afternoon. That doesn't include the ones that made pit-stops in our gardens. DH said he saw a few hundred crossing interstate 80 from Omaha back to Lincoln on his way home from work the same day...and on the Journey North, another lady recorded her sightings too! That was very cool!
I will be seeing how close to the same date as last year they migrate by this fall. I'm sure it will only be a difference of a day or two...depending on winds/temp/humidity/etc.
I think I'm going to look into tagging this year...
Have you ever done that?

Well this is really interesting and good news. Oddly enough I had many monarch in my gardens this past summer, just as much as previous years.

I have never tagged. I would like to though. If I ever get a caterpillar that doesn't DIE on me!

I think I remember you posting that about interstate 80 Susan. I went out looking for roosts shortly after that, but didn't find any. I thought for sure there would be some by the local slew that is loaded with Joe Pye weed. I saw butterflies, but no roosts.

Mrs_Ed,

Oh my! The cats die on you?
What/how does that happen? Do you have a nursery for them?

I think they are parasitized. (that word doesn't pass spell check). I did not bring them into the cage in time I guess. Next year I hope to be better finding the eggs. I tell you, I check the milkweed every day and then suddenly there is like a 3rd instar!

I am looking forward to the Monarchs coming to my garden!!!

I have Direct TV and can't find PBS or if I do it says they are on tomorrow night.
Susan,
Out of 9 Monarch cats I had 3 make it to be butterflies...all 3 of them emerged..1 yesterday and 2 today. I will probably releaet them tomorrow as it is not supposed to be soooooooo cold tomorrow night. 6 cat's of the 9 diedl...some I can probably attribute to parasites......the other 3 are a toss up between parasites and having to buy Milkweed directly from the nursery (which means it had some sort of "pesticide" either topical or systemic. Had to go buy the milkweed cause my 2 puny little plants were not going to cut it for dinner.

mjsponies,

How can you tell if a cat has parasites? Well, I'm happy that because of you there are 3 more Monarchs! :)
Being in Florida, have you tried growing your own milkweed? I would think it's hardy to your area...
Do you get lots of aphids on them?
This year I'm going to save the seed pods and grow my own...shouldn't be too hard. I did find certain varieties grow very slow in the beginning stages...

Susan,
I had milkweed...but not enough, and then we had the freezes....so my D's So went and bought 5 more plants. Well, I'm not sure but I think that the last 2 MAY have been treated w/ pesticides. Mellielong and several others kinda thought that too...I never saw any parasites, and the ones that died were in the same cage as the 3 that eclosed in the last two days. So who knows....but these 3 I will most likely release tomorrow, as the temps are supposed to be in the low 40's and from what I've been told as long as they have a chance to get their wings dry they should be ok. All 3 spent the day inside and hopefully can be released tomorrow. This was my first experience
raising them, and I had a 33% success rate..........not that great. So hopefully better next time.

Well if you are adventurous you could try this. I never have.


http://www.monarchwatch.org/biology/control.htm


Edited to say that this is not for the tachinid fly.

This message was edited Feb 5, 2009 7:35 PM

Mrs_Ed,

Thanks for the great link!
Now I'm wondering how involved I really want to get. I would like to tag some Monarchs, but do I really want to start a nursery...pondering...

I'll try to raises some this year if I can find them. I had 100% luck with the black swallowtails and it's quite rewarding. I had a common buckeye too.

Everyone on the forums keeps telling me how I should keep trying because they have such a poor survival rate anyway. But it is indeed heartbreaking when one doesn't make it.

Mrs_Ed,

We had a dill plant on the patio in a pot. Since last year was our 1st year trying to attract butterflies, we wanted to see how we'd do. I believe we had 11 BST cats we released. We didn't have a nursery...per-say, but as the cats started to "wander" we would place them on the honeysuckle in our patio garden so we wouldn't step on or mow over them in the lawn.
What a pain in the backside that was...LOL
It took several attempts for them each to find their "sweet" spot to go into chrysalis stage. If we do it again this year, we'll get one of those collapse-able containers instead of chasing them everywhere and babysitting them. We'd be having dinner and would have put one on the honeysuckle vine...then after dinner it would be gone and 30' away...almost out of sight...good grief! HAHA!
Here's one of our BST I was holding from last summer...


This message was edited Feb 6, 2009 10:53 PM

That's funny Susan. I had mine in a home made box (newbie!!), then graduated to a clear rubbermaid container.

Our very first one escaped! The second one we watched wander around and around for like 45 minutes! It was amazing.