There have been many inquires in my inbox asking “where are the monarchs?” I’ve been checking in gardens and along the shoreline and haven’t seen any travelers as of yet however, we have reason to be hopeful that this year’s migration will be better than last year’s. Based on reports coming from the mid-west, the migration has begun and the numbers are higher than what was reported in September 2013 for that region.
Look for Monarchs in your garden, and also in fields, meadows, and along the shore nectaring at native wildflowers, such as different species of goldenrods and asters.
Reminder ~ Screening of my documentary Life Story of the Black Swallowtail Butterfly and Lecture is this coming Saturday, September 20th, at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield. I hope to see you there! For details see recent GMG Post here.
Good Morning Gloucester 
Kim, the crew of schooner Tillicum 1 photographed a pair of Monarchs Sept. 16th on Baker’s Island. Since then I have been checking my milkweed patches on a regular basis – but have not seen any visitors.
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Thank you schooner39 for writing and letting us know! Really great info!!
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The monarch displayed in the photo is a male! Smaller black lines than the female and with scent glands on the base of the bottom lines.
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Thank you for writing Jennifer.
The small black patches on the male’s hindwings are pockets of pheromones, filled with what scientists actually refer to as “love dust.” If after the male sprinkles the female with the pheromones she is receptive, they will mate. You can learn more about this in my forthcoming film and book, “Beauty on the Wing,” and actually see the butterflies mating!
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I saw I monarch in Ipswich yesterday at Corliss Brothers checking out the flowers. I did not stay long, but looked fresh in good shape. A week or two ago there was one with tattered wings.
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Thank you Jackie for writing–great to know, and good to know that it was in good shape, which probably indicates that it was newly emerged and a member of the migrating Methuselah generation!
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They may be just taking the long way home and what farmers may be planting will also impact this? 🙂 Dave & Kim:-)
FYI Below
Samsung had these on their phones
http://www.goheadcase.com/Monarch-Butterfly-Galaxy-Mega-5-8-I9150-I9152-p/hc-i9150-bflyp-mona.htm
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