Monarchs Show Unusual Migration Pattern - Travel WEST!

In an unusual turn of events, monarch roosts appeared last week across western Kansas, and even northwestern Oklahoma and Texas. This is nearly 200 miles west of the pathway the monarchs traditionally travel, based on data collected over the past seven years and shown on the map above.

The monarchs are near the Colorado border, and are already west of the overwintering sites in Mexico. (Notice the location of the overwintering region, at longitude 100 W).

Why are the monarchs so far west?

Did the unusual east winds in the Central Plains over the past few weeks blow them there?

Are they finding suitable habitat in this western landscape, which is typically quite dry? What will happen next?

Will they continue to move westward, or will they drop down straight south into west Texas?

Mountains, deserts, forests, and oceans also influence the monarch's traditional migration pathways. This fall, large numbers of monarchs are migrating where only a few monarchs are usually seen. Something is out of the ordinary!

~ Mark O'Lalor

Source: http://www.learner.org/


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The Monarch Migration Is Tough . . . Sometimes Impossible

All over the world the Monarch Butterfly soars in the air in the warm climate.

When the cold weather comes in the Monarch Butterfly knows it is time to migrate.

The Monarch Butterfly cannot survive in the cold winter. Each autumn millions of Monarch Butterflies travel over 2,900 kilometers from south Canada to places with warm climates such as Mexico.

But last year there was a major decrease in the population of the Monarch Butterflies that migrate to Mexico from the United States and Canada . Approximately twenty-three million Monarch Butterflies did not make it to Mexico in time. There were less than 75% of Monarch Butterflies in Mexico.


~ Mark O'Lalor
Source: www.tqnyc.org

Fun Facts About the Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch Butterfly is the king of the insect world

The Monarch Butterfly's scientific name is Danaus Plexippus

Some of the Monarch Butterflies are poisonous

The Monarch Butterflies have a wingspan of 3 3/8 - 4 7/8 inches (8.6 - 12.4 cm)

The Monarch Butterflies have a life span of 8-9 months

The Monarch Butterfly eats milkweed as a caterpillar and eats nectar as an adult butterfly

The Monarch Butterfly breathes through its wings

Monarch Butterflies crossbreed with only their own kind

Monarchs are related to all milkweed eating butterflies

The Monarch Butterfly is also called a milkweed butterfly

People who study Monarch Butterflies are called Lepidopterists

Monarch Butterflies fly from between 5 to 30 miles an hour

The Monarch Butterfly can lay up to 500 eggs

Monarch Butterflies can overheat in hot climates

There are more than a dozen different types of milkweed

Only the Black Headed Grosbeak and the Black-Backed Orioles can eat the Monarch
Butterfly

Monarch Butterflies prefer highlands

The wings of the Monarch Butterflies tend to wear out from time to time
Monarchs do not travel at very high speeds

The Agent Orange that decreased the population of Monarchs in Vietnam cannot be removed from the soil

The only difference between the North American Monarchs and the Vietnamese Monarchs are the markings on their wings

Male Monarchs have a dark spot also known as scent scales and also small claspers at the end of their abdomen

Female Monarchs have thicker wing veins

The Aztec believed the adult Monarch Butterflies to be the incarnation of their fallen warriors, wearing the colors of battle

Monarch females can lay several hundred eggs, usually laying a single egg on a plant. The eggs hatch about four days after they are laid

Monarch larvae, like other caterpillars, have very poor vision. They see through six pairs of eyes called ocelli

The Monarch Butterfly is known by scientists as Danaus plexippus, which in Greek
literally means "sleepy transformation." The name, which means to hibernate and metamorphize, is inspired by the Greek myth of Danaus. In this story the daughters of Danaus, king of Libya, escape Libya and go to Greece in order to avoid marrying their cousins. The long migration of the Monarch Butterflies reminds us of the the daughters' flight.

The larvae feed on the plant leaves for about two weeks and develop into caterpillars about 2 inches long.

Monarchs use "thermals," or warm air, to allow them to glide as they migrate. This helps them conserve energy for their long flight. Migrating birds also use thermals.

~ Mark O'Lalor

source: http://www.tqnyc.org/

Monarch Butterfly ~ "milkweed butterfly"

The monarch butterfly is sometimes called the "milkweed butterfly" because its larvae eat the plant. In fact, milkweed is the only thing the larvae can eat!

There are milkweeds growing in the field behind Alcott School and along Walden Street.

If you'd like to attract monarchs to your garden, you can try planting milkweed (if you live in the right area). You can purchase milkweed seed online by clicking on the link in my sidebar below.
[See Caterpillar picture]

Adult female monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. These eggs hatch, depending on temperature, in three to twelve days.

~ Mark O'Lalor

How You Can Help The Monarch's

GROWING INSTRUCTIONS FOR MILKWEED

The seed we send to you can grow almost anywhere in North America. When you are ready to plant, place seeds 1/8 inch below the soil surface using a deep pot, since most milkweeds have a long roots.

Don't plant the seeds too deep, because they need plenty of light and warmth to germinate and grow (70 degrees).

Keep the seedlings moist for the first three weeks after they sprout, then transplant to larger containers with good soil if necessary.

You can lightly fertilize them once a week after the seedling stage, using a regular flower fertilizer.

Cutting off the top of the plant creates more stalks and more leaves. It takes about two months before the plant is large enough for caterpillars to eat.



After the leaves have been eaten, simply cut the plant off about one inch above the soil or lowest branching of the stalk and the plant will grow back fuller.

Warning: one caterpillar will eat 20+ large leaves so make sure you have enough plants to support the number of caterpillars you have, or they will starve.

When to plant depends on your location.

It takes a minimum of 60 days from seeds to have a plant large enough to support caterpillars' food needs. You can raise tropical Milkweed in pots inside your home or greenhouse, and it should survive the winter.

If you live in a northern climate and see snow, then request the Speciosia variety of milkweed seed, as it survives the winters cold. You can save your seeds till next year and start them early inside, then transplant outside when the weather warms up.

Your goal should be to create a refuge of lush milkweed for the migrating Monarch. Once you have a good supply of milkweed, you can also purchase eggs, small caterpillars or chrysalis and ensure there are butterflies in your area immediately.

Just one mating couple and a good supply of milkweed could produce many healthy fluttering friends for your community. Check with your local plant nurseries if you have questions about when to plant seeds or when to buy plants or transplant.

~ Mark O'Lalor

Source: www.livemonarch.com