Monarch abundance

[Daniel & Monica Glaeske]

Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX wrote:
> 
> It certainly is good news that the Monarch numbers are up in the
> northeastern part of their range - but this should not be surprising given
> the very favorable weather reports I have been seeing for that area. Out
> here in the northwest part of the range I am not aware of any sightings at
> all and it has been a pathetic year for migrants generally due to the
> weather.  

Monarchs were unusually common in this part of Saskatchewan (extreme
southern Saskatchewan, near the Montana border) right up to middle of
August.  The milkweeds were far more abundant than usual, thanks to the
wet spring.  Other than lower than usual numbers of Vanessa cardui, the
other migrants normally seen here (Vanessa atalanta, Euptoieta claudia,
Colias eurytheme) were all common to abundant.  

Regards, 

Daniel