The Great Monarch Migration
Monarch tagging at our latitude begins August 29! They are about to embark on an incredible journey
In mere weeks, a humble insect will begin an incredible journey. The current generation of monarch caterpillars, Danaus plexippus, is preparing to transform and make their annual migration. The butterflies take to the wind as the end of summer draws close, bound for warmer weather in Mexico. Most of the monarchs born in our stretch of the Blue Ridge will depart by mid October, though we may continue to see populations from further north passing through until the first frost. Once in Mexico, hundreds of millions of individuals crowd flowers and hang from trees in enormous roosts- also called bivouacs- while they wait out the winter weather.
Some of the butterflies in our collection. The three in the bottom left box are monarchs, Danaus plexippus. The middle butterfly is a male, evidenced by the pheromone-producing black spots on the vein of the hind wing called his “pouches.” The top and bottom are females, who tend to have thicker black lines along the hind wing veins and lack these pouches. The box above them holds three commonly confused, but still very cool, Viceroy butterflies- Limenitis archippus. They mimic the coloration of monarchs and are similarly distasteful to predators. Notice the continuous black arc on the hind wing that runs parallel to the wing border present only on viceroy wings.
A female monarch visiting milkweed in our rain garden, likely selecting a suitable plant to host one of her young
When temperatures start to rise and days grow longer in northern Mexico, the monarchs prepare to make their return flight by increasing nectar consumption and beginning to mate. Come March, the butterflies depart- following the spring warmth as it stretches north. On their return flight, the butterflies fly low and stop often to feed and lay eggs. A female monarch may carry more than 300 fertile eggs at a time, and will continue finding new mates as she journeys onward. Mother monarchs are very particular about where they will leave these eggs. While the adult butterflies forage nectar from a variety of flowers, the caterpillars exclusively feed on milkweed species. She carefully examines each milkweed plant she finds and, should it pass her inspection, lays a single egg on the underside of a leaf near the top of the plant. This ensures her caterpillars have plenty of food to grow quickly without competing with others or decimating the plant.
Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed- a plant that is toxic to many other animals. The monarch stores these toxins in its own body so predators learn not to eat them.
Many of you are aware of the monarch butterfly migration; and we all are familiar with the four stages of their complete metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar, then chrysalis and finally adult butterfly. However, the way these two life cycles interact may come as a surprise. In our region, D. plexippus experiences 4 generations every year. We have two generations of summer monarchs composed of small, short-lived individuals who will only know this land as home. The successors of the second summer monarchs are significantly larger, stronger, and longer-lived (Up to 9 months as a butterfly!) It is this generation, the fall monarchs, that will make the entire flight to Mexico and return more than halfway back, dispersing their eggs the entire return flight. From these eggs emerge the spring generation, who will complete the migration past the US’s northern border, recolonizing their entire native range.
Poster created by Paul Mirocha for Monarch Watch. This stylized map shows the seasonal ranges of monarch migration over North America. Our fall monarchs fly to Mexico before winter, then fly up into the South East in the spring. The next generation continues moving north, recolonizing the northern half of the continent. Summer generations breed in the north until the rise of the next fall generation, who will make the entire migration south to Mexico and halfway back.
Despite being one of the most extensively studied butterfly species, there are still many mysteries entomologists are working to solve. A community science project called Monarch Watch has volunteer participants help generate data about monarch populations during the fall migration. Unfortunately, the winter roosts in Mexico have been rapidly shrinking in recent decades, sparking much of the research and conservation efforts going on now. Leading theories of causes for this decline include habitat loss and resource scarcity. Much of their historic breeding and feeding lands have been converted to farms, making the butterflies’ journey even more perilous.
Monarch Watch is a community science project that began in 1992. Participants catch and tag fall migrating monarchs with a sticker that has a unique code. Data is recorded including the tag code, date, location, and information about the individual, before it is released. In the winter, butterflies are recaptured in Mexico and searched for tags. The data generated is crucial for estimating monarch population change over time as well as predicting migration times, routes, and survival rates.
Helping monarch populations can be an easy feat for anyone with the lawn space to grow a few native plants. Research some local long-blooming wildflowers, especially those that provide plenty of nectar and bloom through fall. Asters, columbine, vervain, mountain mint, and many others are fairly low maintenance native wildflowers that are great nectar sources for pollinators, including monarchs. Milkweed prefers to have a fair amount of space and well drained soil that gets plenty of water. However, there are several varieties that prefer different conditions, so researching a variety that would do well in your area is a great way to support the monarch population.
At our latitude of around 36° 50’ N, monarch tagging begins at the end of the month- August 29. Peak abundance usually occurs in late September, and the last of this year’s monarchs might be seen into early November. As we look forward to watching another generation of butterflies follow in the wingbeats of their great-grandparents, let these beautiful creatures remind you of the enormous cycles that make up nature.
A Week of Discovery
Thirteen kids joined BRDC at Matthews State Forest Pavilion for Discovery Day Camp.
Geology, birds, butterflies, cartography, stream ecology, primitive pottery interspersed with arts, crafts and hands-on activities filled our week. Thirteen kids joined BRDC at Matthews State Forest Pavilion for Discovery Day Camp.
On Monday, we learned about types of rocks and the rock cycle, minerals and crystals. Using play-dogh and sugar, the kids created examples of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks and crystals from sugar. Later in the day, they examined a local map and then created a treasure map and found the hidden treasure from their maps.
The interns from Matthews State Forest took the kids on a hike around the property on Tuesday finding leaves to create a "Book of Trees". They put their hands into the Mystery Box and tried to identify the objects found inside. We later found seeds, nuts and fruits of trees and played games.
Wednesday was primitive cultures and tracks and signs. They created pinch, coil and slab pots out of clay and later expressed their artistic talents painting these creations. We played a game focused around information gathered from tracks and then created tracks of animals of the Blue Ridge. In the afternoon, we hiked to find tracks of animals and made casts of these tracks.
Thursday continued our adventures with birds and butterflies. After basic binocular use, we explored the Forest for as many species of birds as we could find. They found fifteen species of birds! After collecting materials that would be used for nests, the kids built nests and played games such as Migration, Bird Beak and had paper airplane contests. These games emphasized adaptations, basic needs, and physics of bird flight. During the afternoon, we caught Silver-spotted skippers and Common buckeye butterflies.
Friday was a day of playing and exploring in a creek. After scouring the bottom and rocks for aquatic insects, crawfish and fishes, they spent the remainder of the day splashing around. What a great week of discovery and sharing. A special thank you goes out to Matthews State Forest for allowing us to utilize this great property to explore, discover and share the wonders of the Blue Ridge!
Galax Middle School Explores Dunson Farm
On Saturday, September 24th, an enthusiastic group of Galax Middle School students visited Bill and Margaret Dunson’s Baywood farm just a few miles west of Galax. The Dunsons bought this farm with the intention of converting it from agricultural use to a wildlife resource, with improving bird habitat as the guiding principle. They have returned fields to a more natural sequence of seasonal grasses and wildflowers with an emphasis on native plants. A series of small ponds dot the landscape, some with fish and some without, to demonstrate the impact fish have on various aquatic insects and to illustrate the contrasts.
On Saturday, September 24th, an enthusiastic group of Galax Middle School students visited Bill and Margaret Dunson’s Baywood farm just a few miles west of Galax.
The Dunsons bought this farm with the intention of converting it from agricultural use to a wildlife resource, with improving bird habitat as the guiding principle. They have returned fields to a more natural sequence of seasonal grasses and wildflowers with an emphasis on native plants. A series of small ponds dot the landscape, some with fish and some without, to demonstrate the impact fish have on various aquatic insects and to illustrate the contrasts.
Their farm is an oasis not only for birds, but butterflies, and other insects as well. This setting was ideal for a follow-up field trip based upon four in-school classes targeting butterflies, metamorphosis and migration. All of these topics continued to be covered during our day on the farm, with a variety of walks that explored many species of caterpillars and their association with specific host plants.
On hand for difficult identifications, Bob Perkins volunteered for the more detailed inspections. The cattails growing along the edges of one fish pond were covered with caterpillars, hundreds…perhaps thousands…eating the green leaves down to mere nubs. The following is a report from Bob:
Caterpillars:
Marsh Dagger, Simyra insularis, on cattails
Snowberry Clearwing, Hemaris diffinis, on coral honeysuckle
Woolly Bear, Isabella Tiger Moth
Pyrrharctia isabella, in field
Hickory Tussock Moth, Lophocampa caryae, supplied by Bill Dunson
Yellow-striped Armyworm, Spodoptera ornithogali, brought from home
Caenurgina sp, Clover/Forage Looper
Galgula partita, Wedgling Moth
Many thanks to Bill, Margaret and Bob for a successful outing!
BRDC visits the Matthews Living History Farm Museum!
Click here for a gallery of the day's activities:
Click here for a list of butterflies seen at the event:
Through the great energy and support of Sandy Troth, and the Matthews Farm Museum staff, BRDC was proud to explore in the outdoors this last Saturday on those grounds. There is lots to discover in the fields and creek around the farm, and the setting was perfect. We also had the pleasure of sharing the event with Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, whose two volunteers , set up shop and fit right into our hands-on creative approach to learning in the outdoors. Local BRDC volunteers included Bob and Bill Perkins, Susan, Terry and Claire Gleason, Allen Boynton and Gale Kuebler, Jesse Pope, Jane Floyd, Michelle Pridgeon, Deborah Shell, and Laura Belleville. The farm staff also set up a creative blue bird house adventure, hosted by David Hauslohner, Sandy Troth and Sydney Rose Fant.
Among the activities were two stations set up by Jesse, chief naturalist for Grandfather Mountain; one consisting of highly technical gadgetry that read air temps at various altitudes, and the other a collection of bones, skins and feathers of a variety of critters, including squirrel, beaver, bat, sharp shinned hawk, and much more.
Allen and Gale helped with the critter station. Bob and Bill led a series of field trips concentrating on butterflies (butterfly images here-in by B. Perkins) and wildflower/insect associations.
Terry led field trips to the creek, with nets to gather and observe living aquatic creatures. Jane, Michelle and Deborah operated the flower press, concentrating on Queen Anne's Lace, complete with a live black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar, that feeds on Queen Anne's Lace. Kids were invited to create collages of the lace with butterfly printouts, and decorate as whim directed. Devin managed two stations, one devoted to deep local history defined by a collection of prehistoric projectile points, the other to brook trout and its ecology. Both of these stations had creative hands-on elements designed to draw participants closer to the moment, and were a big hit.
Claire brought her famous corn snake for another tiring day of being handled, along with a series of books on snakes and snakes as pets. Scott participated at all tables, accompanied a field trip, and kept attention on those coming and going...in other words, attempted to manage the event.
During the day we had two surprise guests. Chris Brooke, reporter from the Galax Gazette arrived late in the day with his wife, Beth, to take in the festivities including the last field trip. And Jack Pitcher, well known for his Star Watch contribution to a number of newspapers and journals, arrived with a gift of ginkgo trees and enthusiastic support. We hosted kids, accompanied by parents, friends and in some cases, grandparents, and everyone seemed genuinely captivated.
-Scott Jackson-Ricketts
Photographs by Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Robert Perkins, and Devin Floyd
