MIGRATION ON! Plant it and They Will Come part 5

Today's report from Cape May New Jersey

Date: 10/20/2014 Location: Cape May Point,NJ

Number Sighted: 500
Comments: Our team was excited to find some monarch roosts tonight!!! We located one with approximately 200 butterflies and a second with around 300. Our census total for today was 270 monarchs an hour.

Saw three Monarch migrators this afternoon on my paper route! And should be many more tomorrow as the winds and temps are forecast to be favorable. Oh my goodness how incredible it would be to follow a cloud of them from Cape May to the Chesapeake! and beyond.

I am very thankful for everyone who has taken part this year and hope all of the tagging and reporting of 'sightings' will help us all plot out safe passages for these magnificent magical migrators! If you see a 'tagged' Monarch (visible when wings closed) try very hard to take a pic and read and report the unique ID.

Oh, good to know about Profusion Zinnias! I even had hummingbirds on my seed-grown zinnias this year.

Coleup, what a picture!

That penstemon is gorgeous!

Thanks for guiding US along the way coleup.

In bloom- Garden Phlox (Felicias's?) , butterfly bush (more if I had deadheaded better) a late Rudbeckia hirta, Montauk daisy, an Aster from happymacomb, Black and blue Salvia. Plectranthus saccatus, a few Verbena bonariensis, late Eupatoriums (maybe can encourage lateness with pruning?) and mums, marigolds, Melmapodium, Nicotiana. Tradescantia... Which of all these are liked by butterflies, I don't know.

A friend at work witnessed a flock of monarchs on the beach in NJ one year, it was truly astounding, she said.

This message was edited Oct 21, 2014 9:56 AM

This message was edited Oct 21, 2014 9:31 PM

Years ago when I lived in Iowa and had gone back to college, there was a tree on campus where monarchs roosted on autumn afternoons, much like in the photo. Quite a sight.

I love to hear stories like that! The is an old cedar tree out on my paper route which my customers say would be dripping with Monarchs in the Fall. I'll be stopping near it the next several days when I finish my route to see if any remember. Love to read thru the Fall Roost reports on Journey North site. Here is one from Charlotte Vermont. I have bolded a very interesting observation she makes!

"Date: 09/21/2014 Location: Charlotte,VT
44.27, -73.22
Number Sighted: 50
Comments: I'm thrilled to report a roost of 50+ monarchs. I watched them gather tonight on the edge of my neighbor's 10 acre clover field that's in full bloom. I'm sure there were 100+ nectaring today throughout the field, but they didn't all roost in the same place. I found singles and doubles along the tree line. The roosting process was fascinating to watch: A butterfly would scout up and down the 100 yard tree line, back-and-forth. If it came close enough (within ~ 5 feet) to the group I was watching, the resting butterflies would flash their wings in unison-- and the monarch would circle around in join in (--or not). The butterflies were clustering loosely at the tips of a low branch of a tall ash tree, about 15 feet above the ground. The tree is probably ~80 feet tall. The branch they selected extends out from the tree line more than any other. (See branch at left in picture.) The roost was on the north side of the tree; a strong south wind was blowing all day, but had calmed by 6:00 when I was watching. At 10:30 pm I heard the wind howling and rain pelting against the windows. Would they move to the south side of the trees? Would they fall to the ground? I went back this morning (9/22/14) at 7 am. Temperatures had fallen to 49F, the wind had shifted to the west and was blowing 15 mph. To my amazement, the monarchs were still gripping onto the leaves of the ash. The wind was tossing the branch to and fro and the monarchs held on for the ride, swaying at least 5 feet back and forth. I did find one monarch on the ground. It was shivering to reach flight threshold and clumsily tried to fly when I approached."

It would be interesting to know what the Monarchs were saying with those wing flashes: something along the line of "Come join us" or "Go away", I guess.

The 400th Monarch eclosed this morning while we weren't looking! Who left it for Joyanna? I missed that, somehow, but she was thrilled. Thank you! We weren't successful in getting it to nectar, at least not while we were looking, so we left it this evening with a plate of sugar water (a soaked, crumpled paper towel), a halved sugared grape, basil blooms, and sedum blooms. At Joyanna's insistence, we put the upside-down container over the butterfly to shelter it from the wind and protect it from birds. I'll check on it in the morning

I really don't have much left out there for a butterfly to eat, unless they like chrysanthemum. There are scattered blooms, but no big flush of anything in bloom anymore.

Speaking of blooms, though... Judy, thank you so very much for procuring that stunning little tree-form hydrangea for me! I have the exactly perfect spot for it... dug the hole this afternoon; will install it & mulch it tomorrow. Everybody admired it during the pick-up event!

In case anyone missed, I had seven small clumps of tropical milkweed from our Fearless Leader, at Jill's house. I now have them up-potted and sunk in my warm side garden to grow on for next year.

Light frost this morning, but our little butterfly was OK. I couldn't stand the thought of leaving him/her (I have to look that up!) outside on the cold ground, so I brought her into the house. I still haven't seen her sip from the sugar water or taste a flower... worried...

Yayyy, Jill--You got your Pee Gee Hydrangea!

I took a closer look at the corner and, i am sure, there would be room in there for one.
Will ask the Stitchcomb girl (they bring us the shrubs) if she knows of any other
HD that still has these. If not--there is always next year.

and, Jill, your idea of expanding the bed by lasagna mulching has another
negative to it. In ONE year, that new bed would be FULL of maple roots,
defeating the purpose. They grow in everything--as I learned after I had the raised bed built.

Here is the corner----there's room! That tall thing is the Mockorange which
would then be dug up.
G.

Gita, look for photos of how a tree-form hydrangea grows. The branches arch outward from the top... I'm not sure putting it really close to that solid fence would work well.

Yes, I know about your maple roots! But you manage to grow a lot of things in your "yuk" bed despite them... a bigger bed there would have the same conditions, but I bet YOU could get stuff to grow. :-)

I found one article that suggests over-wintering a monarch butterfly by keeping it in the fridge and feeding it every 10 days. Hmm.

If we release this butterfly so late in the season, do you think it is pretty much doomed? If so, maybe we could try keeping it inside for a couple of weeks to fatten up & get ready to overwinter, then put it into the fridge... big trauma, though, if it doesn't make it.

Critter, best to release it when todays temps hit 55 or up. It will sit in the sun until its flight muscles reach about 60 degrees and then it will take off (probably towards your tree line). As long as it is flying it stays warm and will catch the thermals down along this side of the Appelatians. Loundoun County is still releasing a few late ones., so she will have mates to join and fly with.

Newly eclosed Monarchs do not need to eat for the first or second day but will need to nectar on their journey to Mexico. In one day '4oo' could be sipping from late blooming asters and goldenrods a hundred or more miles south of you! FYI "400' was the fattest by far of all the caterpillars and ws well fed into late pupation.

OK; we'll release her after school today. I know she could go now, but I also know Joyanna would like to do it. I was concerned that #400 was too late to catch up with even the stragglers. Glad that's not such a worry!

#400 does look plump! I wonder if that's why she was late to pupate... good eats, so she just kept growing bigger while she could. I think she had some honey-water just now, or at least was tasting it... and then she dipped her wing in the spoon. *roll eyes* She's fluttering just fine, no worries there. I'll move her to a cool spot so she'll just rest for the next couple of hours.

Thanks for the reassurance! How did you ever survive being "mama" to 400??

Critter, today and tomorrow are 'perfect' release days up there. Wouldn't have sent '400' to Joyana without checking weather data first.! 400 is my last baby to go. I found her as a first instar cat on one of the milkweed leaves I was harvesting to feed the fourth instars I 'thought' were the last I'd hand raise. May have a picture of her dad which I wll post later.

Via con Dios 400!

http://www.loudounwildlife.org/Monarch_Campaign_Raise_Release_Map.html

Thanks, Judy! Joyanna must have watched over #400 for an hour yesterday, probably more as we kept checking on her. It'll be fun to send her off!

Oh yes Judy, Not sure I told you how much the Grands enjoyed the butterflies you gave me at the swap. Lucas even took his to school. Between the Butterflies and the tadpoles they had quite the biological experience this summer.

Interesting NYT articles about tropical vs native milkweed.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/18/science/monarchs-may-be-loved-to-death.html?_r=1

I didn't get a chance to read it carefully, but the advice to not plant tropical milkweed seems to be for warmer locations like FL.

That was interesting; thanks, SSG.

There are so many variables involved in trying to do the right thing when it comes to helping Monarchs!

The cutest little girl last night showed me she was checking out The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. So I told her about our library monarch, and she'd want to come next September because I planned to have another. It was so sweet, She left the library hopping all over singing Butterfly Butterfly...!

How lucky she was to get a fellow nature lover rather than some grumpy person who thought she was being silly.

Sally--

Was it your educational skills and plant Show-and-Tells that earned you a
FT job? I bet your higher-ups noticed it all.

Are you happy with having a FT job? Is it much better pay? Insurance?

I am happy for you! I realize this will cut into your free time, BUT...
you have to have trade-offs...

Your kids will be on their own and gone in a few years. By then,
you will be well on your way to (maybe) a higher position yet.

I KNOW you can do it!!!! Happy for you! G.

Sweet, Sally! Sweet Sally! :-)

Glad this thread popped up, as I think I've neglected to post a photo of #400.

I just love that expression of wonder and joy on Joyanna's (sp?) face.

Yup, really cute!

Feature article in Washington Post today on monarchs. Big push to restore habitat.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/02/09/the-monarch-massacre-nearly-a-billion-butterflies-have-vanished/

Judy---

According to a part of this article--maybe YOU would qualify for some of
the $$$ offered to help the Monarchs....

You certainly have done your share! G.

That's great news; thanks for posting it, ecnalg.

Just the other day there was a special segment on "CBS This Morning", I think, about a program to have children plant butterfly plants. It also gave some background on GMO farming and the loss of habitat it has caused. This kind of in your face reporting on national tv is just what is needed to increase public awareness.

That's good news. I'm saving some native plant seeds for my niece, who wants a wildflower garden. I'll make my nephew help so I can try to get yet another child interested in gardening. My daughters caught the bug!

Bring Back the Monarchs:
FREE MILKWEED PLANTS FOR SCHOOLS AND NON-PROFITS

Monarchs and pollinators need our help due to habitat loss. If your school or non-profit organization is interested in this conservation measure, we can help you create a habitat for monarchs and pollinators. Please apply using the form below. If your organization qualifies, we will provide a free flat of 32 milkweed plugs as well as guidance on how to create a new habitat or enhance an existing garden. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has provided funds for this project.

http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/milkweed/free-milkweeds/

Good grief! That is a great idea, but that 8-page application will discourage a lot of groups. I was going to suggest it as a project for neighborhood Girl Scouts, but stopped reading about mid-way through.

Well, it looks meant to ensure a committed and well planned project. Halfway thru is most of what gets filled out, there is info and sample letter. Imagine all the well meaning dunderhead non gardeners who would ask for plants and stick the anywhere and forget them.

You're right. Maybe I'll see if a local troop wants to apply for plants. They could do all of the paper work and I'd help with the fun part.

I was thinking they'd need your help with the paperwork or at least planning and understanding the requirements too, unless they have some gardening leaders already. All for helping with the fun part!

Oh, I'd definitely have to work with them from the beginning; I was sort of kidding. The first step will be to see whether they're interested.

We have started Part 6 over here:

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1400570/