Unusual Monarch Butterfly phenomena here in S Ontario

I have never noticed any more than 1 or 2 monarch butterflies together before. But the last month, we have seen swarms/flocks/herds/gaggles (what do you call groups of Monarchs anyway?) around the trees in our yard about an hour before sundown and early in the morning. But the last week with the unseasonably warm temps (up to mid 90's F in the daytime) we have seen groups of Monarchs flitting around the trees all day long!  Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

Monarchs are an amazing creature. They migrate from here in Canada (I don't know how far north they migrate) and then travel south into the Southern states, Mexico and maybe beyond during the winter. There are 5 generations or more between those which leave here in the fall and those which return in spring and summer. So not one of them has ever been here before! Yet they know how to navigate back here each year and generations later, others know how to take the trip south where they have never travelled before either!!!

We have an amazing Creator!

Thanks for this. That is why Euptoieta claudia is important for climate change studies: human breast cancer heat-shock protein weighs in at 27 kilodaltons, and E. claudia's nectar plants include milkweed. No one, as far as we know, has ever developed an hypothesis for Rachel Carson's particular breast cancer case, though hsp27 indeed fits the monarch scenario: Carson chronically waded around in cold Maine waters, so we focus precisely on Carson's sural nerve to develop an investigative trajectory. Even the timing of the cold shock is important: Carson usually finished wading around before 8:00 PM in the evening, when hepatocytes regenerate.

Hi Bruce!

I merged your two threads together. Here on permies we love to have one thread show up in multiple forums, so it's easy to find more information. If you want your thread in, say, trees and pollinators, post it in one forum, and then click the "report" button and ask a moderator to add it to another forum. We really don't mind doing that!

Also, if you have PIE, you can add a thread to up to three forums all by yourself. I gave you a slice so that you can experiment! Also, you can go explore the PIE forum and see what other fun stuff comes with PIE .

I hope that helps!

Bruce Woodford wrote:what do you call groups of Monarchs anyway?

A puddle.

Sounds beautiful.  I would love to see a photo if you can get one.

A "puddle" of Monarchs! Interesting! Is that the same for all butterflies, or just Monarchs?

Bruce Woodford wrote: A "puddle" of Monarchs! Interesting! Is that the same for all butterflies, or just Monarchs?

I think it's all butterflies.

There's a lot of regional variation on what a puddle means.  In some places, it's both in the air and on the ground.  In other places, a puddle of butterflies is only on the ground and a kaleidoscope is a flock of butterflies in the air.  

Bruce Woodford wrote:I have never noticed any more than 1 or 2 monarch butterflies together before. But the last month, we have seen swarms/flocks/herds/gaggles (what do you call groups of Monarchs anyway?) around the trees in our yard about an hour before sundown and early in the morning. But the last week with the unseasonably warm temps (up to mid 90's F in the daytime) we have seen groups of Monarchs flitting around the trees all day long!  Has anyone else noticed anything similar?

Monarchs are an amazing creature. They migrate from here in Canada (I don't know how far north they migrate) and then travel south into the Southern states, Mexico and maybe beyond during the winter. There are 5 generations or more between those which leave here in the fall and those which return in spring and summer. So not one of them has ever been here before! Yet they know how to navigate back here each year and generations later, others know how to take the trip south where they have never travelled before either!!!

We have an amazing Creator!

Hey Bruce! I guess I should say I'm your neighbour! Quebecker, here. We've been having something similar happening here, although, Monarchs have mostly managed to make the trip down south. I was told the violent hurricanes down south and in the Antilles have turned the wind from a normal north to south course to a south to north course, which impedes their migration. In my area it's Painted Lady Butterflies that are caught unawares and have to stick around for a bit longer. It would make sense if you are from southern Ontario, that Monarchs would be stuck in your area. I consider you lucky, really! You should advantage of this opportunity and take some pictures for us! =)