Previous Sightings - 2005 to 2007

[Jim]

Monarch sightings for the Mountain region of the United States (AZ, CO, ID, NM, MT, UT, NV, WY) - 2005 to 2007.

[robertcompratt]

I am a transportation driver in Las Vegas, but formerly was an administrator at a class 1 research university in the midwest.
While waiting for customers to return to my vehicle after shopping, I observed approximately 100-200 monarchs in groups of 1-5 over an approximate 20 minute period moving from southeast to northwest. There was approximately a 15-20 mph breeze blowing from the south. The location was approximately 1.5 miles southwest of the south and west corner boundary of McCarran International Airport. I was surprised to see so many in the desert, but we have had an unusually robust rainfall this past winter, and the desert wildflowers are having their most vigorous bloom in the past 75 years. Death valley which is about 100 miles northwest of here is having their most glorious display of wildflowers in the past 100 years. I would be interested to hear whether such sightings in desert areas are out of the ordinary.

[MercuryButterfly]

Monarch today in my yard. He was flying around my front picture window and then into the backyard. It was getting a little windy, so he landed in an evergreen tree for a few minutes then off he went. It is my first siting! Too bad it was only 1!

[Zachrey]

My wife and I live in an earthship which is a home that provides all of our utilities using nothing but sunshine and rainfall. We have a conventional septic tank, however, the effluent drains into a contained outdoor black water planter. It is a large bathtub shaped rubber membrane six feet down, filled up with gravel and topped off with dirt.

We planted a bunch of flowers and trees in the planter and, so far, the marigolds have survived the frosts.

I cut down all of the gigantic amaranth plants today exposing all of the flowers, marigolds, zinnias, celosia, african daisies, etc. With all the flowers in plain sight, we have been getting a lot of business from butterflies and the first Monarch I've ever seen out here!!!

We are out on the mesa and there is NOTHING but sagebrush and tumbleweed (well maybe an occasional flowering plant). Our blackwater planter is probably the only appreciable stand of butterfly attracting flowers for at least ten miles!

I'm hoping we can become a major hot spot for monarchs and all butterflies!

Happy fall to all.

[Paul Cherubini]

?.T?r?ercuryButterfly"]Monarch today in my yard. He was flying around my front picture window and then into the backyard. It was getting a little windy, so he landed in an evergreen tree for a few minutes then off he went. It is my first siting! Too bad it was only 1![/quote]

Mike Quinn received a report (see below) of perhaps 100 monarchs nectaring on chasmisa near the town of Tijeras, just east of Albuquerque in mid-October. You might want to check this area out to find out where the chamisa flowers are growing.

From: Dave & Diana Fein
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 12:27 AM
To: Mike Quinn
Subject: Re: 1000s of Monarchs in Midland, any in NM ???

Dear Mike: So sorry it has taken me so long to reply -- been very
hectic of late. I happened to spot a number of monarchs, perhaps a hundred or so, in the Sandia mountains east of Albuquerque on October 14. I had taken my mom for a drive along the scenic North 14 highway toward Santa Fe. We were on our way back to Albuquerque and she wanted me to stop and pick her some flowers. I stopped at a somewhat secluded area in Tijeras, NM, just north of I-40 and west of North 14 where there was a lot of chamisa in bloom. To my delight the chamisa was covered with monarchs. I was wishing with all my might that I would've had my camera with me.

Not sure this info does you any good now, but wanted to pass it along.

Regards,
Diana Fein

[Waystation #635]

We were out geocaching today and spotted two monarchs in a little park off of Lowell and Paseo de Norte. Great to finally see a monarch in the area! Hope it is the beginning of more to come fo us in New Mexico.

[Paul Cherubini]

We were out geocaching today and spotted two monarchs in a little park off of Lowell and Paseo de Norte. Great to finally see a monarch in the area! Hope it is the beginning of more to come fo us in New Mexico.

Yes there are lots of Monarchs in New Mexico. In fact, I just got back from a trip to New Mexico and Colorado. I found Monarchs were so abundant on or very close to the Continental Divide of west-central New Mexico that I could sometimes photograph TWO monarchs simultaneously.

Example of one location on the Continental Divide I visited: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmg.jpg

Landscape view of this location on top of the Continental Divide in northwestern New Mexico where I saw several monarchs on Aug. 15, 2007 http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnma.jpg

Photo of two of the several monarchs I saw at this location: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmb.jpg

Close up view of these same two monarchs that positively identify them as monarchs (not queen butterflies) http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmc.jpg

Landscape view of another nearby spot just 1 mile to the east where three more monarchs were seen that same day http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmd.jpg

Close up view of the female I saw laying eggs that positively identifies the butterfly is a monarch http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnme.jpg And also demonstrates that Monarchs breed on top of the Continental Divide

Close up view of the male I saw that positively identifies the butterfly is a monarch http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmf.jpg

[Waystation #635]

We were out geocaching today and spotted two monarchs in a little park off of Lowell and Paseo de Norte. Great to finally see a monarch in the area! Hope it is the beginning of more to come fo us in New Mexico.

Yes there are lots of Monarchs in New Mexico. In fact, I just got back from a trip to New Mexico and Colorado. I found Monarchs were so abundant on or very close to the Continental Divide of west-central New Mexico that I could sometimes photograph TWO monarchs simultaneously.

Example of one location on the Continental Divide I visited: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmg.jpg

Landscape view of this location on top of the Continental Divide in northwestern New Mexico where I saw several monarchs on Aug. 15, 2007 http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnma.jpg

Photo of two of the several monarchs I saw at this location: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmb.jpg

Close up view of these same two monarchs that positively identify them as monarchs (not queen butterflies) http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmc.jpg

Landscape view of another nearby spot just 1 mile to the east where three more monarchs were seen that same day http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmd.jpg

Close up view of the female I saw laying eggs that positively identifies the butterfly is a monarch http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnme.jpg And also demonstrates that Monarchs breed on top of the Continental Divide

Close up view of the male I saw that positively identifies the butterfly is a monarch http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/cdnmf.jpg

Hi Paul

How were you able to spot those Monarch off I-40? Were you at the Chevron pictured and ventured off?

Ron

[Paul Cherubini]

Hi Paul How were you able to spot those Monarch off I-40? Were you at the Chevron pictured and ventured off?
Ron

Ron, I simply drove up to the Continental Divide area of I-40 and started looking for the Asclepias subverticillata milkweed. I knew that if I could find milkweed in bloom, I would likely see male monarchs patrolling it and female monarchs laying eggs.

I also drove up to Colorado to search for milkweed and monarchs on and near the Continental Divide. The Rocky Mountains reach their maximum height and width in the state of Colorado as you can see from this color relief map of the USA:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/usa.jpg

However, despite the height and girth of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, I found monarch caterpillars were common, even at high elevation locations near the Continental Divide. In only two days of searching I was able to find caterpillars at 10 widely separated locations near the Continental Divide in the southern half of the State (I did not search northern Colorado). Here are the 10 locations:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colof.jpg

And here are close up and landscape photos of the monarch caterpillars I saw at all 10 locations:
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Location #1: Cimarron, Colorado, elevation 6,910 feet:

Close up photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloh.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colog.jpg
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Location #2: 4 miles west of Sapinero, Colorado, elevation 8,151 feet:

Close up photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloj.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloi.jpg
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Location #3: Gunnison, Colorado, elevation 7,703 feet:

Close up photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colol.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colok.jpg
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Location #4: 1.8 miles east of Maysville, Colorado, elevation 8,205 feet:

Ultra close photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colop.jpg
Close up photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloo.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colon.jpg
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Location #5: Near intersection of Christy Ave. & 8th Street in Saguache, Colorado, elevation: 7,695 feet

Ultra close photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloq.jpg
Semi-close up photo:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/color.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colos.jpg
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Location #6 2 miles north of Alamosa, Colorado along Hwy 17, elevation: 7,539 feet: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colot.jpg
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Location #7 1 miles east of Monte Vista, Colorado along Hwy 160, elevation: 7,663 feet

Closeup photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colov.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colou.jpg
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Location #8: Del Norte, Colorado along Hwy 160 elevation: 7,880 feet

Closeup photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colox.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colow.jpg
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Location #9: 1 mile east of South Fork, Colorado along Hwy 160, elevation: 8,180 feet:

Closeup photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloz.jpg
Landscape photo: http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloy.jpg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Location #10: 10 miles southwest of the Continental Divide (Wolf Creek Pass) along Hwy 160 and exactly one mile northeast of the Archchuleta County border in Colorado, elevation 7,700 feet

Ultra closeup photo:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colozc.jpg
Semi-closeup photo:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/colozb.jpg
Landscape photo:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k75/4af/coloza.jpg