Monarch report
On Interstate 10 near Sonora, some 200 miles west of Austin, suddenly there were plenty of monarch butterflies flying about.
UPDATE: We continued to see migrating monarchs for the next 50–60 miles.
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Your sighting makes my heartstrings play. I saw one or two here this summer.
lensandpensbysally
October 16, 2016 at 12:21 PM
I’d seen practically none in Austin but this migration in west Texas was 50–60 miles wide.
Steve Schwartzman
October 16, 2016 at 8:53 PM
Hooray! Numbers are way down here.
Sherry Felix
October 16, 2016 at 12:39 PM
I’ve seen a few, both in Omaha and Minnesota, but almost certainly fewer than usual. Good for you!
krikitarts
October 16, 2016 at 4:08 PM
We kept seeing them in goodly numbers for 50–60 miles. Unfortunately the fronts of cars passing through on I-10 ended up with monarchs on them. The butterflies, alas, aren’t smart enough to fly just a few feet above the traffic.
Steve Schwartzman
October 16, 2016 at 8:51 PM
No monarchs for me, but thick clouds of viceroys appeared at a wildlife management area outside Mena, Arkansas. I spent a half-hour or so sitting at the pond watching them play chase. Some flew so close to me I could hear their wings. It’s going to take something really spectacular to beat that for the highlight of the trip.
shoreacres
October 17, 2016 at 8:08 AM
Happy highlight. Your viceroy experience sounds like one that would lend itself to video.
Steve Schwartzman
October 17, 2016 at 8:39 AM
Glad to hear this. I did not see many this year
norasphotos4u
October 17, 2016 at 5:22 PM
I saw few in Austin but made up for it in west Texas.
Steve Schwartzman
October 17, 2016 at 11:04 PM