Strength of Migrating Butterflies!

[Sandwhy]

Howdy all! I was tagging a bunch of monarchs Tuesday in my yard, and was surprised to feel how STRONG they are! I assume they were reared in the wild, and also assume they were heading south. Just holding them and feeling their wings try to beat was quite amazing.

Butterflies I rear and handle (for OE/tagging etc) just don't seem to be as "frantic" or "strong". Maybe it's the desire to "nectar and continue south and damn if some chick is gonna try to put a sticker on me"?

Is this just me? I have to say I have not handled wild butterflies in the past, so am completely clueless. Are they usually this strong, or is the migrating population stronger for a(n obvious) reason??

Anyone else notice this? (or care?

Sandy

[Orangeaid]

SandWhy. I have experienced what you are talking about and feel that the reason for this is that a monarch that has just hatched several hours before they are released will not have the same amount of strength ( even though some of the ones i rear are kicking to get out of my hands ) as a wild monarch that is already migrating and all hardend up and fed up . Also remember that when we usually release a monarch that we reared it is still really soft and depending on the outside temp could even still have damp wings so they sometimes dont have it in them to bolt out of your hand yet. Give them a day or 2 to get some nectar and harden up and you will notice the difference.

[Mona Miller]

In the fall, they are in their predator mode. We are one of their predators.

I actually will wear camo shirts and hat with dark pants out in the garden when I am trying to net. Much easier to approach them when they think I'm a tree.