Monarch Migration

[Lee Schierer]

For years, I've noted the Monarch Butterflies migrating through our area in the fall. Last night as I left work I noticed a lot of butterflies circling a tree in front of our office building. I saw several actually land on the tree. I took a closer look and saw that there were hundreds of Monarchs clustered together at various locations on a Chinese Chestnut tree. I had my digital and film cameras with me so I took some photos of the ones closer to the ground. I've attached one of the digital ones as the film has to be developed.

This morning I came to work early and they were still there. As the sun came up over the other trees you could see them shivering to get warm then they started leaving in groups. In a matter of minutes they were all gone.

I will check tonight when I leave work to see if more stop over on their way south or if last night was a one of a kind evening.

[David Weaver]

I wonder how many miles they can cover in a day. I don't think I've seen a bunch like that before.

Closest thing I've seen this year is hornworms and stinkbugs! (i'm probably about 100 miles south of you)

[Scott Shepherd]

I saw a program about them on tv about 6 months ago and I recall that they head to this place in Mexico, it's one of only a few places left on the planet with that type of tree or forest and they flock to it for reasons no one knows.

Here's some photos of it :
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/mexico/Gallery_SanctuarySurvival.html

They also said that it takes 1 or 2(maybe 3) generations of butterflies to complete the season of migration. So butterflies that will come back up north next spring will never have been to the places they are going, and likewise, butterflies born up north in the spring will never have known about the forest in Mexico, yet they will travel there. They have no idea how they know where to go, given the fact that they are never born knowing of the other places. It was a very interesting show on them, which I think you'll see from the photos. It was millions and millions and millions of them that all find a home in this one forest.

Here's a photo of them on a tree!
http://www.learner.org/jnorth/images/graphics/monarch/lpb/LPB.0088.jpg

[Bob Rufener]

Many years ago, I happened to be walking through a field. In a fairly large tree, I saw thousands of Monarchs perched on the leaves and branches. Unfortunately, I didn't have a camera available but I can still picture them in my mind. An awesome sight. It would be quite a spectacle to see their winter home in Mexico.

[Michael Weber]

Few years ago, I happend by the local airport one morning on my way to work. Thousands (maybe millions) of Monarchs were arising from the large open fields around the runways and flying across the highway I was on. It was awsome. I wanted to stop and stand on top of my car and just enjoy them passing closely but my job called. Unfortunately, many did not get high enough to avoid the traffic although many folks did slow down.

[Bryan Morgan]

While they look neat, do they destroy any plants or anything in their travels?

At my last house I never got to eat a single nectarine off of our tree because the dang june bugs would always eat them all and then disappear. :mad:

[Lee Schierer]

While they look neat, do they destroy any plants or anything in their travels?

At my last house I never got to eat a single nectarine off of our tree because the dang june bugs would always eat them all and then disappear. :mad:

Monarch caterpillars eat milkweed plants. The toxic sap from the plants makes the Monarchs taste bad to birds so birds don't eat them. Other than milkweed I don't think Monarchs harm anything.