HO HO WHAT?

[Trevor Boyd]

Here in Ireland we seem to get the odd Monarch in October following a
hurricane in the SE United States or Carribean (there were some this year)
so we think they were diverted from their normal southwards migration by the
hurricane and swept across the Atlantic, perhaps in as little as three days.
It raises a few questions: If they came that fast, they would have to be
borne along by the jet stream, but the temperature up there at 35,000 feet
could be minus 50 degrees (farenheit or celsius - it doesn't matter).  Can
they stand that?  Perhaps they dont come that way at all - I remember
hearing a story about a potato boat in Liverpool which came from the US and
when they opened the hatches out flew a swarm of Monarchs.  Or do they come
from the Canaries or Madeira - much closer to the British Isles, but why
would they want to come here in the fall when they should be going in the
opposite direction and Asclepias do not grow here anyway?  It's all
speculation and we really know nothing about where they come from and how.

The point I want to make is if we want to find out more about how Monarchs
get here, we don't need people releasing them in arbitrary places to muddy
the waters.  This applies to other species too.  I agree with Anne.

Trevor Boyd
Butterfly Conservation Northern Ireland

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anne Kilmer" <viceroy at GATE.NET>
To: <drdn at mail.utexas.edu>
Cc: <leps-l at lists.yale.edu>
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2001 3:53 PM
Subject: Re: HO HO WHAT?


> Chris J. Durden wrote:
>
> > Anne,
> >    I think you have a rather healthy perspective. The whole monarch
> > release flap is worthy only of a Gilbert & Sullivan production. Too many
> > comfortable bureaucrats with too little to do. How do they feel in
> > Britain and Ireland about release of Monarchs at events?
> > ...............Chris Durden
> >
>
> Thanks.
> I find myself firmly on everybody's side, in this argument, as you will
> have noticed. I hope we work it out, without too much damage to the
> environment.
> Of course in Britain and Ireland they wouldn't be releasing Monarchs ...
> as far as I know. The sight of a Monarch there is a Big Deal and they
> wouldn't muddy the waters.
> Neil can undoubtedly clue is in on this ...
> Cheers
> Anne
>
>
>
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