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Monarch migration is under way
In the entire world, no butterflies migrate like the monarchs of North America. They travel much farther than all other tropical butterflies, up to three thousand miles. They are the only butterflies to make such a long, two way migration every year. Amazingly, they fly in masses to the same winter roosts, often to the exact same trees. Their migration is more the type we expect from birds or whales. However, unlike birds and whales, individual monarchs make only a part of the trip. It is their children's grandchildren that return south the following fall. By instinct alone, the butterflies go to the same mountains that their ancestors left the previous spring. Somehow, they find a place in Mexico that they've never seen before. Monarch butterflies are born knowing everything they need to survive.
The overwintering population this winter will be affected by a long term drought that has persisted in much of Texas and northeastern Mexico. Monarchs are highly dependent on nectar and sources of water to fuel the migration through this region in October and November. If the drought persists and nectar resources are scarce during the migration period, the number of monarchs reaching the overwintering sites will be reduced. Plant nectar is the fuel for the butterflies' fat which is critical to their survival for the winter. This fat not only fuels their long flight, but must last until the next spring when they begin the flight back north. As they migrate southwards, monarchs stop to feed on plant nectar, and they actually gain weight during the trip!
One of the most important plants in your monarch waystation is milkweed. Adults feed on nectar from all varieties of milkweeds. They will also visit other flowers including goldenrod, ironweed and tickseed sunflower. The caterpillars, on the other hand, feed only on milkweeds of the genus Asclepias. From these plants they acquire and store toxins that help protect them from predators. Although these plants may have other insect problems, remember that using insecticides on them will harm the caterpillar. Another way to help this amazing creature is to get involved in monarch migration research. A tagging program was initiated by F. A. Urquhart of the Royal Ontario Museum in the 1950s and is continued to this day. It allows scientists to determine the migration path of monarchs. To learn more about tagging and the monarch's migratory journey, visit the Panhandle Butterfly House's 3rd Annual Monarch Madness Festival on October 9-11. You will be able to stroll through a monarch waystation and a limited number of tags will be available for children to apply. For more information, visit their website at www.panhandlebutterflyhouse.o rg. ¦ Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County. |
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