>Monarch Watch Update -  April 19, 2004
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org
>[log in to unmask]
>
>==========================================
>
>Contents:
>
>1) New Format for Updates
>
>2) Status of the Population
>
>3) Monarch Watch Open House and Plant Fundraiser
>
>4) The Western Monarch Population
>
>5) Conditions for Monarchs Moving North
>
>6) New Tag Policy
>
>7) Tag Recovery Update
>
>8) Tag Recovery Fund
>
>9) Every Little Bit Helps
>
>10) Status of the 2003 Recoveries
>
>11) Conservation Perspectives
>
>12) The European Paper Wasp
>
>13) About Our Update List
>
>==========================================
>
>1) New Format for Updates
>
>Our monthly email updates ("eNewsletters") are now in a transition period. 
>The content delivered in these monthly communications continues to evolve 
>and we hope you are getting a lot out of them. We realize that some of the 
>articles are a bit too long to include in an email message, especially 
>when there are nine or ten other topics we'd like you to see.
>
>In an effort to make the updates more accessible and enjoyable to all of 
>the Monarch Watchers (over 8,000 subscribers to our eNewsletter 
>worldwide!) we are going to do a little reformatting. Our initial thoughts 
>are to limit the content delivered via email to a paragraph or so per 
>article; if an article requires more space than this, a link to the full 
>text on our website will be provided. Additionally, the monthly updates 
>will continue to be archived at
>
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update
>
>as they have always been.
>
>We'd love to get feedback from you about this. If you have questions, 
>comments, or suggestions please feel free to drop me a line at 
>[log in to unmask] anytime - thanks!
>
>-Jim
>
>==========================================
>
>2) Status of the Population - by Chip Taylor
>
>It's not looking good - the monarchs do not appear to be off to a good 
>start. The first monarchs, presumably returning migrants, to be seen 
>interior of the Texas coast each year are usually reported in the first 
>week of March. Monarchs were sighted in early March this year as well, but 
>the number of reports for the last 5 weeks is far below normal for this 
>period. Further, the number of monarchs reported from states north and 
>east of Texas is low.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#2 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>3) Monarch Watch Open House and Plant Fundraiser
>
>You are cordially invited to join us on Saturday, May 15th 8am-3pm for an 
>Open House and Plant Fund Raiser at our facilities on West Campus at the 
>University of Kansas in Lawrence. We are located in Foley Hall (2021 
>Constant Avenue) near the greenhouse. Nearly 1,000 butterfly plants (both 
>annuals and perennials) including seedlings of five species of milkweed, 
>will be available (modest contributions are suggested). We will provide 
>refreshments, lots of show & tell, iChat videoconferencing demonstrations, 
>a gazebo in the greenhouse with unusual butterflies, and, of course, 
>monarch butterflies!
>
>We hope to see you there, but if you can't make it to Lawrence we'll have 
>"live" photos and video for you to check out online during the day - for 
>more information and a map visit
>
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/openhouse
>
>==========================================
>
>4) The Western Monarch Population
>
>We have two reports from west of the Rockies this month. The first, from 
>Sarah Stock, is on the winter population dynamics of monarchs in Monterey 
>County, CA and the second is another account of the efforts of Goleta, CA 
>to raise funds to secure and protect a 137 acre monarch overwintering site 
>known as Ellwood Main (Ellwood Mesa) in the city of Goleta. The amount of 
>funds involved, about $20.4 million dollars, is more than three times the 
>amount used to support the efforts to conserve the overwintering sites in 
>Mexico.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#4 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>5) Conditions for Monarchs Moving North - by Chip Taylor
>
>The Drought Monitor web site (http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html) 
>shows that dry conditions predominate in most of Nebraska and the Dakotas. 
>Incipient dry conditions appear to be developing in Minnesota and western 
>Wisconsin, the middle portion of the New England states, as well as an 
>area in the SE extending from Louisiana, Mississippi, the panhandle of 
>Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina and part of North Carolina. The 
>moisture conditions for the remainder of the country appear to be 
>favorable. Of some concern are the high temperatures of March that were 
>5.2 degrees above normal for the entire country, the third warmest March 
>in the past 110 years
>
>http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/cag3/cag3.html
>
>If this trend continues, the summer will be hot and dry and those 
>conditions do not favor monarchs.
>
>==========================================
>
>6) New Tag Policy
>
>We would like to take this opportunity to explain our newly revised 
>Tagging Kit pricing and policies for the 2004 tagging season. In a 
>nutshell, the 2004 Tagging Membership ($25) includes 25 tags; beyond that, 
>additional sets of 25 tags are available for $4 each. There are no 
>restrictions as to how many additional tags you can purchase beyond the 
>original Tagging Membership.
>
>Next year we will be addressing the issue of redistribution of Monarch 
>Watch tags (via nature centers, schools, etc.) by creating specialized 
>Tagging Kits.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#6 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>7) Tag Recovery Update
>
>Tag recoveries are still being received and each week brings an email with 
>lists of tags or a letter with tags and information on where, when and 
>from whom they were purchased. We wish to thank all those who acquired 
>tags and have passed that information to us. If any of you know of 
>additional tags, please report them to us soon. We are compiling our list 
>and checking it twice and it's easier when we have all the records in 
>place. Thus far, we have 2,377 recoveries from Mexico and about another 
>150 from the United States.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#7 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>8) Tag Recovery Fund - by Chip Taylor
>
>Last month we reported that $6,021 had been received for the tag recovery 
>fund. An additional $825 has been received in recent weeks bringing the 
>total to $6846.61. These funds and the $5,000 we committed from our 
>operating budget toward the purchase of tags bring the total available for 
>the purchase of tags to $11,846. This amount is almost an exact match for 
>the $11,824 we actually spent on tags. This match of income and expenses 
>is fantastic, and may be a first in the history of our program, but next 
>year is another matter.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#8 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>9) Every Little Bit Helps
>
>Some of the smallest Monarch Watchers helped contribute to the tag 
>recovery fund this year. Becky Collins' kindergarten class at David 
>Lipscomb Elementary in Nashville, TN decided to raise money for Monarch 
>Watch by collecting cans. They got the whole school involved and collected 
>over 200 lbs. of aluminum cans which they turned in at a local recycling 
>center - they were then able to contribute $74 to the Tag Recovery Fund! A 
>big THANK YOU goes out to Becky Collins' Kindergarten Class - we 
>appreciate all of your hard work!
>
>==========================================
>
>10) Status of the 2003 Recoveries
>
>Due to the calls and e-mails we are receiving, we know that several of our 
>taggers are anxious to hear about their recoveries. We are doing our very 
>best to get the data entered and posted as quickly as possible. However, 
>please keep in mind that we returned from Mexico on March 12 and it took 
>me almost two weeks to get caught up. I am working on the 2,300 tags we 
>brought back with us as time permits. I do hope to have them posted 
>sometime this summer. Unfortunately, there isn't much that the public can 
>do to help. The best thing to do is to try to remember that 2,300 
>recoveries in Mexico is a LOT of recoveries, so please be patient! The 
>2003 recoveries will be posted online as soon as possible and we will also 
>provide progress reports in this monthly email.
>
>Thank you for your patience!
>Sarah
>
>==========================================
>
>11) Conservation Perspectives
>
>"Shifting Priorities in Monarch Conservation"
>By Jordi Honey-Rosés
>
>In the last ten years the debate on Monarch butterfly conservation in 
>Mexico has evolved considerably. In the 1990s, the discussion often pitted 
>conservationists against the local campesinos in a struggle over how best 
>to use or protect the forest resource. Monarch butterfly conservation in 
>Mexico was cited to illustrate the conflict between human needs and the 
>protection of a species habitat: where local farmers pressured to continue 
>logging and conservationists sought permanent protection of the Monarch's 
>habitat.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#11 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>12) The European Paper Wasp
>
>The European paper wasp is spreading rapidly and could significantly 
>impact monarchs and butterfly populations in general, especially in 
>cities. If you see this insect
>
>http://www.myrmecos.net/images/Polistes2.html
>
>please report it to us and we will see that the scientists that are 
>tracking this species receive your sighting. Field studies of the impact 
>of this caterpillar predator on butterfly populations are badly needed.
>
>[ Read the full text of this article at 
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/040419.htm#12 ]
>
>==========================================
>
>13) About Our Update List
>
>You are receiving this email because you have provided Monarch Watch with 
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>
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update
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>
>Monarch Watch (http://www.MonarchWatch.org) is a not-for-profit 
>educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas. We run a 
>Monarch tagging program and offer Monarch Rearing Kits, Monarch Tagging 
>Kits, and other educational/promotional materials that allow you to 
>actively experience the monarch life cycle and its spectacular fall migration.
>
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>Thanks!
>
>Monarch Watch
>http://www.MonarchWatch.org
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