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>Monarch Watch Update - April 2006 >http://www.MonarchWatch.org >[log in to unmask] > >========================================== > >Contents: > >1) Status of the Population >2) Egg Dumping >3) Degree Days >4) Monarch Waystation Publicity >5) Monarch Waystation Seed Kits >6) Milkweed Restoration >7) Peru to Saudi Arabia >8) Hawks and Monarchs >9) Western Monarchs >10) Project MonarchHealth >11) Spring Open House & Plant Fundraiser >12) About Monarch Watch > >========================================== > >Unless otherwise noted, all content was authored by Chip Taylor, >edited by Jim Lovett and Sarah Schmidt, and published by Jim Lovett. >The complete web version of this update is available at: >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html > >========================================== > >1) Status of the Population > >As most of you know, one of my goals is to make sense of the monarch >numbers - both at the overwintering sites and during the breeding >season. To this end, I've been looking at any data that might show >how the spring/summer and early fall numbers can be linked to to >numbers of overwintering monarchs. Last July, based on nothing more >than my experience over the last 14 years and the degree day data >that Janis Lentz put together for different latitudes, I predicted >that the number of overwintering monarchs for 2005-2006 would be 5-7 >hectares. The actual population measured at 5.91 hectares; I got >lucky. The basis for this prediction was pretty shaky and could not >be justified scientifically. Subsequently, I came up with another >factor that offers real promise for quantitative predictions of the >size of the overwintering population from one year to the next. >Curiously, this estimator yielded a similar result with the total >predicted population of 6-7 hectares. The question now is whether >the model that I'm working from can accurately predict the monarch >population this coming winter, some 7-8 months before the population >is measured. ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#1 ] > >========================================== > >2) Egg Dumping > >Monarch females are usually quite selective as to where they place >their eggs. Most eggs are placed singly on young leaves and >sometimes on flowers. Older, tougher leaves tend to be avoided. It >may be that oviposition has been fine-tuned through selection >favoring those females that make the best choices for their larvae. >Older leaves appear to contain more latex and may contain other >compounds or properties that limit the successful development of >first instar larvae. It is surprising then to hear accounts of egg >dumping by female monarchs returning from Mexico. Egg dumping refers >to the tendency of females to lay tens of eggs per plant. ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#2 ] > >========================================== > >3) Degree Days > >The monarch season is off to a hot start. The accumulated monarch >degree days for March and April are shown for Austin and Little Rock >in Table 2. Note that the accumulated degree days are substantially >above the average for the last seven years for both locations. For >directions on the calculation of degree days for monarchs, please >see the Teaching with Monarchs section of the January 2005 Update. >The high number of degree days translates into faster development >for most forms of life, including monarch caterpillars. It is for >this reason that I expect the first generation butterflies from >Texas and other southern areas to be moving north a bit earlier this year. ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#3 ] > >========================================== > >4) Monarch Waystation Publicity > >Here at Monarch Watch we've made many friends over the years. Many >go out of their way to support our program and we appreciate their >efforts. Somewhere along the way we hope to meet all of these >wonderful supporters. While the Monarch Waystation program is off to >a good start, we still need many of our friends to help us promote >this program and keep the program rolling. Along these lines, >earlier in the year I received a note from Elizabeth Hunter, a long >time monarch enthusiast who has worked with Lincoln Brower. >Elizabeth has tagged many a monarch at Cape May, New Jersey and has >promoted monarchs in many ways. Elizabeth declared that she would be >glad to devote one of the garden columns she prepares for the Blue >Ridge Country Magazine to Monarch Waystations. Elizabeth was true to >her word and an excellent article on our Monarch Waystation program >can be found at: > >http://www.blueridgecountry.com/ci/MountainGarden/index.html. > >We appreciate the help - thanks Elizabeth! > >========================================== > >5) Monarch Waystation Seed Kits >As we mentioned last month, we now have a limited number of seed >kits available in two versions: a standard kit and a California kit. >Once our current inventory runs out, additional kits will not be >available until next year, so if you would like seeds this year >please be sure to order early (Monarch Watch Shop item#125522): > >http://shop.monarchwatch.org/product.aspx?p=125522 or 1-800-780-9986 > >The Standard Monarch Waystation Seed Kit includes seed packets of >six milkweeds: BUTTERFLY WEED (Asclepias tuberosa), SHOWY MILKWEED >(Asclepias speciosa), COMMON MILKWEED (Asclepias syriaca), SWAMP >MILKWEED (Asclepias incarnata subsp. incarnata), SWAMP MILKWEED >(Asclepias incarnata subsp. pulchra), & TROPICAL MILKWEED (Asclepias >curassavica) and six general nectar plants: PRAIRIE BLAZINGSTAR >(Liatris pycnostachya), FLOSS FLOWER Blue Horizon (Ageratum >houstonianum), PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea purpurea), TITHONIA >TORCH Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), ZINNIA Super Giant Mixed >(Zinnia), & VERBENA (Verbena bonairiensis) > >The California Monarch Waystation Seed Kit includes seed packets of >six milkweeds: BUTTERFLY WEED (Asclepias tuberosa), SHOWY MILKWEED >(Asclepias speciosa), TROPICAL MILKWEED (Asclepias curassavica), >INDIAN MILKWEED (Asclepias eriocarpa), DESERT MILKWEED (Asclepias >erosa), & SWAN PLANT (Asclepias fruticosa) and six general nectar >plants: PRAIRIE BLAZINGSTAR (Liatris pycnostachya), FLOSS FLOWER >Blue Horizon (Ageratum houstonianum), PURPLE CONEFLOWER (Echinacea >purpurea), TITHONIA TORCH Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), ZINNIA Super >Giant Mixed (Zinnia), & VERBENA (Verbena bonairiensis). > >Complete information about the Monarch Waystation Program is available at >http://www.monarchwatch.org/ws/ > >========================================== > >6) Milkweed Restoration > >Our call to the public to help in the creation of monarch habitats >within gardens has led to many inquiries as to how to restore >milkweed in more natural landscapes. The techniques for preparing >the soil and planting the seeds or establishing seedlings varies >from one portion of the country to another. In addition, since >restoration projects should only include species that are native to >the area, it is necessary to locate compatible sources of seeds. As >these inquiries came in, I found that I couldn't answer many of the >questions. I also realized that it is unlikely that I can ever put >together a "one size fits all" text that encompasses all of the >different scenarios people are likely to encounter. To get some >help, I called on one of my colleagues, Dr. Sharon Ashworth, who has >a degree in ecology and experience with restoration, and asked her >if she could provide a list of resources to which I could refer >those who wish to restore milkweeds and other native plants. ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#6 ] > >========================================== > >7) Peru to Saudi Arabia > >The international connections we make through Monarch Watch continue >to amaze me. Last month's Update contained an article by Cristina >Loayza from Leonardo Da Vinci School in Lima, Peru about her use of >monarchs to introduce students to science. Shortly after the Update >was distributed, we received a note from Alison Holmes, a primary >school science teacher at the Dar Al Fikr School in Jeddah, Saudi >Arabia. Alison described how the students collected what she took to >be monarch caterpillars from the milkweeds growing in the schoolyard >and brought them into the classroom to study their metamorphosis and >life cycle. Alison's monarchs are not the monarchs we know; rather, >they represent the Old World equivalent to the monarch - the plain >tiger, Danaus chrysippus. ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#7 ] > >========================================== > >8) Hawks and Monarchs > >I love to get to get together with monarch biologists to share >stories about our favorite organism. The stories go better with beer >of course and it was while enjoying a local brew in the company of >several monarch biologists at the Entomological Society of America >conference at Alisomar in 2004 that Bob Pyle related his observation >of seeing a red tailed hawk chase down a monarch. I'm sure I nodded >in understanding, hopefully concealing my disbelief - after all Bob >has a reputation for veracity. A hawk chasing a monarch! Would you >believe it? ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#8 ] > >========================================== > >9) Western Monarchs by Mia Monroe > >Monarchs dispersing from the numerous coastal overwintering sites >lingered along the coast of California longer than expected, >treating observers at sites from Ardenwood to Pacific Grove and as >far south as Santa Barbara to monarchs to the very beginning of >spring. David Lange from Ellwood reports: "Many of the Ellwood >Monarchs left the area in late February but a couple thousand stayed >while a cold front, with rain for the coast and snow for the >surrounding foothills, came to the south coast. Observers in the >local neighborhoods commented on the large numbers of butterflies >still hanging around through early and middle March. When warm >weather arrived in late March the remaining Monarchs resumed the >migration and departed the area." ... > >[ Read the full text of this article at >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update/2006/0430.html#9 ] > >========================================== > >10) Project MonarchHealth > >Project MonarchHealth is a survey of the occurrence of the protozoan >parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE), which parasitizes monarch >butterflies. This parasite is not harmful to humans; however, it can >harm the butterflies by inhibiting normal growth and lowering >butterfly survival in the wild. To check for parasites, surveyors >can swab the abdomen of live butterflies to collect parasite spores. >MonarchHealth citizen scientists help scientists map the location >and infection levels of OE in monarchs throughout the United States >and determine how much disease the parasites cause. > >This project is designed and coordinated by Sonia Altizer and >Natalie Kolleda of the University of Georgia. For more information >on how you or students could contribute to this study, please visit >http://monarchparasites.org/ or send an email with your inquiry to >[log in to unmask] > >========================================== > >11) Monarch Watch Spring Open House and Plant Fundraiser > >You are cordially invited to join us on Saturday, May 13th 8am-3pm >for our annual Spring Open House and Plant Fundraiser 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 4,000 butterfly plants (both annuals and >perennials) including seedlings of seven milkweed species, will be >available (modest contributions are suggested). We will provide >refreshments, lots of show & tell, videos and games for children, >iChat videoconferencing demonstrations, and, of course, monarch butterflies! > >We hope to see you there, but if you can't make it to Lawrence we'll >have photos and maybe a webcam or two for you to check out online >during the day - for more information and a map visit > >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/openhouse/ > >========================================== > >12) About Monarch Watch > >Monarch Watch (http://www.MonarchWatch.org) is a not-for-profit >educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas. We >manage several educational, conservation and research programs - >focusing on the monarch butterfly, its habitat and the spectacular >fall monarch migration. > >Previous updates are available online at > >http://www.MonarchWatch.org/update > >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://www.MonarchWatch.org >[log in to unmask] > >If you would rather not receive these email updates from Monarch >Watch please visit http://www.monarchwatch.org/update/ > >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.