Thursday afternoon (9/16) we went looking for Monarch butterflies to tag during their migration to Mexico. Waiting for them to find our asters in the yard had not proven to be a winning strategy so we went to a patch of alfalfa where they had been numerous in the past. The weather was warm enough (temps in the low 90s) but a stiff headwind from the south hindered the progress of the migrating Monarchs. Even the reliable alfalfa patch yielded only three Monarchs. Jen then suggested we try Coot Shallows SWMA as it was getting close to dusk and there is a tree sheltered lane that might be conducive to being an overnight perch. Her hunch was spot on and we found the seven more Monarchs that allowed us close enough to catch/tag and release them. I have 50 tags so I still have some “work” ahead but hopefully we’ll get them all put to use. I’ve always thought it was a cruel irony that in September the days warm enough for a cold blooded insect to fly are often accompanied by a stiff headwind out of the south. Combine that with a dwindling supply of nectar sources. I guess that is nature’s way of making sure only the fittest complete the journey to Mexico. Wishing them all the best!!
