Extremely low numbers?

[drader]

It's the middle of September, and I've seen only one monarch in the last four weeks. I haven't seen more than a couple all summer. On Labor Day weekend in past years, I have easily collected 100+ larva to raise in my 8th grade science classroom for tagging. This year, I've searched hard and have managed to find only 7; a student brought in another 5. There is a lot of great-looking milkweed growing all around this area, but there are no indications of the presence of monarchs (leaf damage, droppings, etc.) Unless things quickly improve, the migration numbers here are going to be very low. Anyone else seeing a similar pattern in your area?

[froglegs]

Several observers have noticed numbers are way down in Chicago area also. In the last week I have seen about 50 or so, managing to tag 15.

[Pat]

This year's migration appears to have missed me altogether, north of Philadelphia. Haven't seen more than 5 wild ones since August. Virtually all the monarchs I tagged have been ones I raised, and even the eggs have been few and far between all summer. 1/3 of what I usually get; I won't even break 100 with this year's tagging.

[Keith Petrosky]

I have only seen 3 from august-september. Normally I see them as early as july, but not this year. There were an abundace of larvae by me, but they all got destroyed by landscapers, who mowed down every milkweed plant in the field.