Monarch Butterflies Migrating - DPChallenge Forums

10/02/2003 12:10:08 PM · #1

It must be that time of year.
The Monarch Butterflies are flying over by the dozens.
They are flying South-Southwest.
Unfortunately none are stopping :(

This is the Dallas Texas area.

Calvus

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

10/02/2003 12:12:18 PM · #2

We're just getting loads of spiders over in England :(

10/02/2003 12:13:21 PM · #3

Spiders?

I do not know that one?

Calvus

Originally posted by Konador:

We're just getting loads of spiders over in England :(

10/02/2003 12:15:46 PM · #4

Any ideas on where these butterflies may land?
Water? Lake? Wooded Area? Anyplace they feel like it :)
Or is it that we are so close to Mexico that they will keep going?

Calvus

Konador

Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i

10/02/2003 12:17:47 PM · #5

Spiders, 8 legged things, ugly, make cobwebs, :)

10/02/2003 12:29:31 PM · #6

LOL
I know what they are.

Originally posted by Konador:

Spiders, 8 legged things, ugly, make cobwebs, :)

Calvus

10/02/2003 12:44:48 PM · #7

While they were in NY, they were all over the place...I took this photo last weekend up in the Adirondacks. Seemed to be near water..wooded areas.

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=39899

10/02/2003 12:47:29 PM · #8

BTW---good luck trying to catch one close up....I spent about an hour following this one around in and out of the woods. LOL I came out of there covered with burrs and scratches. But it was well worth it!

10/02/2003 12:56:39 PM · #9

Are you in the Syracuse area?
We grew up in that area.
We are from Watertown, NY. My wife grew up in Clayton, NY.
Spent a lot of time in Cicero, Syracuse and etc.

Calvus

Originally posted by Olympian:

While they were in NY, they were all over the place...I took this photo last weekend up in the Adirondacks. Seemed to be near water..wooded areas.

//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=39899

10/02/2003 12:58:20 PM · #10

Yeah you would need on good zoom lens to catch them :)
Either that or catch them at sunset or early morning while they are resting :)
Could be a real comedyy act!

Calvus

Originally posted by Olympian:

10/02/2003 01:01:33 PM · #11

I was searching the web and found out that they have built migrating stations all over parts of the US. For observation, feeding and etc.

Calvus

10/02/2003 01:04:36 PM · #12

Yes, I live in downtown Syracuse. Migrated here temporarily from Denver to work for Niagra Mohawk. I fish up at Oneida all the time! Small world! Where are you now Calvus?
I caught this guy in the late afternoon. He was very active. I was using my Macro setting, so I had to be right on top of him....LOL

10/02/2003 01:20:52 PM · #13

Oh yeah,,,,Dallas area! Nevermind

10/02/2003 01:50:28 PM · #14

That is strange, you from Denver to Syracuse and my family from Watertown to Texas. We moved down here when my father-in-laws health got bad. He was originally from Texas. My wife was born in Texarcana, Texas. I really miss that area this time of year!

I have a lot of relatives still living in the Syracuse area. My crazy cousin use to drive stock cars at the Fulton Speedway.

Calvus

Originally posted by Olympian:

Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

10/02/2003 02:04:51 PM · #15

Well, it came down to working in Syracuse for 6months, or NOT working in Denver for ANOTHER six months! Absolutly bone dry concerning jobs in Denver. I would love to be up in the Rocky Mtns right now catching the Golden leaves of the Aspens with my new Camera.
It is beautiful here this time of the year...all of the leaves are changing colors...its getting cold.
I hear horror stories of the winters here....not looking forward to that. Contrary to popular belief, Denver is not that cold or snowy in the winter,,,just the mountains.
My sister lives down in the Houston area. I have yet to get down to that part of the country.

Refracted

Canon EOS-50D

10/02/2003 02:51:11 PM · #16

FYI, all the monarchs in north america go south (central mexico) for the winter.. (november-march), they gather in the forests down there by the millions.. grapes of monarch appear in the trees..

here's a pic i found doing a quick search..

//mywebpages.comcast.net/lepalert/AlertWebImages001/Monarch.jpg

i would LOVE to see that with my own eyes :)

in 2001 i beleive, there was a big frost down there in mexico, and it killed millions of them while they were down there for the winter. scientists weren't sure they would even recover from this, but they have and they're everywhere this year..

//www.the-scientist.com/images/yr2002/oct14/monarch.jpg

(notice the snowy-ice)

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

10/02/2003 03:09:26 PM · #17

Very cool Pics!
I would love to photograph something like that!

Thanks

ScottK

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

10/02/2003 08:18:44 PM · #18

Last night I got out of my car and happened to look up. There was a flock of birds (probably geese or ducks - something that size), in the classic flying V formation - flying north! Through California. This struck me as odd, so I watched them for a minute or so. Then, all of a sudden, a few of them started heading the other way, and the flock started to reform, following them south. Then the whole flock melted down into disarray, flew around in a jumbled circle, and then disappeard in the low clouds. A very odd sight.

La-Luna

Nikon Coolpix 2500

10/03/2003 02:01:16 AM · #19

Originally posted by Calvus:

Any ideas on where these butterflies may land?
Water? Lake? Wooded Area? Anyplace they feel like it :)
Or is it that we are so close to Mexico that they will keep going?

Calvus

Every year they come down to Central Mexico and land in the woods, at the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. The Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is located near to a small town called Valle de Bravo, two hours away from Mexico City.

Lilia

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/03/2003 09:28:41 AM · #20

They spend the winter hanging out on trees.

//www.leppimages.com/monarchs.htm has some amazing images.

Trinch

Canon EOS-40D

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

10/03/2003 10:10:51 AM · #21

Butterflies are most abundant at hill tops and near shallow puddles/mud puddles. Another thing you can do is give them a reason to stop by. Plant some butterfly friendly plants in your yard. I re-lanscaped my yard last year to include butterfly bushes (Buddleia Davidii), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), red hot pokers (Kniphofia uvaria), and many more. Also, don't forget to include some plants for the catapillars. I set aside an area for fennel (a favorite of the Monarch) and parsley (preferred by the swallowtails).

There is a wealth of information available on-line. Unfortunately, this won't get you a nice picture during the current migration, but patience has it's rewards. I had many more butterflies this year as opposed to last year when the planting were new. Next year I hope to have even more as the news of my oasis spreads.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

10/03/2003 10:19:14 AM · #22

Originally posted by Trinch:

Plant some butterfly friendly plants in your yard. I re-lanscaped my yard last year to include butterfly bushes (Buddleia Davidii), Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa), red hot pokers (Kniphofia uvaria), and many more. Also, don't forget to include some plants for the catapillars. I set aside an area for fennel (a favorite of the Monarch) and parsley (preferred by the swallowtails)...

I don't know about the adults, but I thought Monarchs only lay eggs on (and caterpillars only eat) milkweed.
There are/were "butterfly trees" in the Monterey, California area as well.

Gordon

RIM BlackBerry Curve

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM

10/03/2003 10:29:16 AM · #23

This booklet //www.wildflower.org/ama/pdf/butterfly-1.pdf produced by the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center //www.wildflower.org has a lot of good information on butterflies and what native plants the need for survival.

It also has a lot of hints and tips on how you can plant to encourage butterflies.

Message edited by author 2003-10-03 10:30:07.

Trinch

Canon EOS-40D