Greetings Monarch Watchers!
This will be a quick one to let you know how the migration/tagging
season is shaping up and to announce our annual "Chip in for Monarch
Watch" fundraising campaign in honor of Chip Taylor, our director and
founder. We've also got a couple of local events coming up in
September, so be sure to mark your calendars and visit us in person
or online.
A special "welcome!" goes out to everyone that came to see us at the
16th annual Festival of Butterflies earlier this month at Powell
Gardens, in Kingsville, MO - thank you for your interest and support!
~Jim
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"Chip in for Monarch Watch" Fundraising Campaign
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The 2012 "Chip in for Monarch Watch" Fundraising Campaign is now
underway! Please help us spread the word about this annual campaign
which brings in funds to keep Monarch Watch's education, conservation
and research programs going...and growing!
If you are in a position to offer financial support to Monarch Watch
(or if you know someone who might be), please consider making a fully
tax-deductible donation of any amount during our 2012 "Chip in for
Monarch Watch" fundraising campaign.
Visit http://monarchwatch.org/chip for more information or to submit
your pledge and tax-deductible donation. Be sure to check out the
comments and photos submitted by other donors - we are continually
amazed by the connections that are made through monarchs and Monarch
Watch.
Last year's campaign was a huge success, raising more than $31,000 -
think we can top that this year? :-)
Thank you for your continued support!
Chip in for Monarch Watch: http://monarchwatch.org/chip
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Monarch Population Status - by Chip Taylor
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In early July I wrote the text for the pre-migration newsletter that
goes out with the tagging kits in which I stated that there was no
real basis for making a prediction about the size of the fall
migratory population:
"If there is sufficient rainfall and normal to above normal
temperatures in the northern breeding range through August, the
migratory population may be the largest since 2003 - perhaps 6-7
hectares. On the other hand, a continuation of the extreme heat and
drought conditions could result in another overwintering population
in the 2-3 hectare range - well below the long-term average of 7
hectares."
It is now clear that fall population will be on the low side with an
overwintering population close to 3 hectares once again. I don't need
to tell you that the summer was hot and dry - too hot and dry in many
areas for good monarch reproduction. We have received many comments
on the poor quality of the milkweed available to monarchs for the
last generation. In eastern Kansas, where the drought ranges from
extreme to exceptional, milkweeds, even blue vine (Cynanchum laeve),
suitable for egg laying, are scarce. The best areas for the
production of fall migrants appear to be northwest and central
Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and Michigan, and much of New England.
Reports from New England suggest that the number of monarchs passing
through Cape May will be higher than normal this fall. Elsewhere, we
can expect the number of fall migrants to be similar to that seen
over the last several years.
The low number of nectar sources that will be available to monarchs
moving through the lower Midwest in September is a concern. Some fall
flowers have already bloomed, some have died and many of the others
are stunted and just barely alive. There will be nectar but it will
be harder for the monarchs to find. Rain in the areas of Nebraska,
Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Iowa, Arkansas, and Illinois over the
next three weeks could make a big difference in the proportion of the
fall migrants that reach Mexico.
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Monarch Tagging Kits
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Tags for the 2012 fall tagging season are still available but going
fast - more than 75% of this year's tags have been claimed to date.
If you would to tag monarchs this year, please order your tags as
soon as possible.
Monarch Watch Tagging Kits are only shipped to areas east of the
Rocky Mountains. As usual, each tagging kit includes a set of
specially manufactured monarch butterfly tags (you specify quantity),
a datasheet, tagging instructions, and additional monarch / migration
information. Tagging Kits for the 2012 season start at only $15 and
include your choice of 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, or 500 tags.
Monarch Watch Tagging Kits and other materials (don't forget to pick
up a butterfly net!) are available via the Monarch Watch Shop online
at http://shop.monarchwatch.org - where each purchase helps support
Monarch Watch.
2012 datasheets and instructions are also available online at
http://monarchwatch.org/tagging
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Monarch Watch Open House & Monarch Tagging Events
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Monarch Watch Open House Event
Saturday, September 8, 2012 8am-2pm
Lawrence, KS, U.S.A.
Join us at our Fall Open House at Foley Hall (KU West Campus) to
celebrate the arrival of migrating monarchs coming from the north.
This free event is designed to please children and adults alike. As
usual, we will provide refreshments, lots of show & tell (including a
honey bee observation hive and our tarantulas), tours of our gardens
and lab space, hands-on activities, games, videos, monarch tagging
demonstrations, and, of course, lots of monarch caterpillars, pupae,
and butterflies!
Details at http://monarchwatch.org/openhouse/
Monarch Butterfly Tagging Event
Saturday, September 15, 2012 7:30-11:30am
Lawrence, KS, U.S.A.
Once again, Monarch Watch and Jayhawk Audubon Society are sponsoring
Monarch butterfly tagging for the public at the Baker University
Wetlands. There is no charge to participants and no experience is
necessary - we'll provide tags, nets, and instructions.
Details at http://monarchwatch.org/wetlands
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About Monarch Watch
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Monarch Watch (http://monarchwatch.org) is a nonprofit education,
conservation, and research organization based at the University of
Kansas that focuses on the monarch butterfly, its habitat, and its
spectacular migration.
If you have any questions about this email or any of our programs
please feel free to contact us anytime.
Thank you for your continued interest and support!
Monarch Watch
http://monarchwatch.org
monarch@ku.edu
This e-mail may be reproduced, printed, or otherwise redistributed as
long as it is provided in full and without any modification. Requests
to do otherwise must be approved in writing by Monarch Watch.
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