Monarchs on the Move

Have you ever wondered where the monarchs are?Have you lost sleep over this? If so, the map below may help you.

This map shows where the Monarchs have been spotted this week of April 2010. Ok, I know you're not all like me but if you are even remotely interested, Click Here to follow their journey north. I've been looking around and haven't spotted any yet and the milkweed in our Butterfly Garden still looks uneaten. Let me know if you see one. I see a few dots in South Carolina. They must be around here somewhere but they are hiding from me!
If you would like to participate with the University of Georgia's Project Monarch Health click here.

Here is some news from their recent newsletter:
Due to the severe weather at the overwintering sites in Mexico this winter, and the smaller than average monarch numbers prior to these events, the eastern North American monarch population is reported to be smaller than ever. Over the course of this MonarchHealth sampling season, we hope to gain insight into how well the population will rebound and what effect OE will have on this potentially smaller 2010 population. More specifically, will the infection rate increase or continue to decline? 2010 Data Collection. The 2010 sampling season is about to arrive!
Remember, we need your help to continue sampling each year. Now is the time to order your 2010 MonarchHealth sampling kit! Write to us at monarch@uga.edu
Long-distance migration shapes butterfly wings
A recent by Dr. Sonia Altizer and Andy Davis examined the morphological differences between wings of monarchs from migratory and non-migratory populations. Their findings indicate that monarchs that migrate large distances have larger bodies and more elongated wings that are better suited for traveling long distances. Non-migratory monarchs have wings up to 20% smaller.
Click Here to learn more about Monarchs.



Have fun watching :)