Birthday Surprise – Thank You!

As some of you may know, I took an extended vacation in Alaska this summer. While there I kept in touch with my crew, Jim Lovett and Ann Ryan, and though I kept up with some email communications, I let quite a bit slide and didn’t really keep up with Dplex-L (our email discussion list), our blog, our Facebook page, etc. My priorities were catching a few fish, staying away from the bears or any mother moose with babies, and kicking back. It had been a stressful spring with lots of worries about the possible demise of Monarch Watch due to the economic downturn and I was really worn down. I needed to get away from my 7-day-a-week routine and for me Alaska with its beauty and salmon-filled rivers is the place to do it.

All was going well – like the old Billie Holiday tune “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy/Fish are jumpin’…” – until I received a rather cryptic email from Jim on August 1st with the subject “Important Note from Jim & Ann”:

Chip: If you happen to see or hear something that you shouldn’t see or hear (you’ll know when you see or hear it), it would be best to play it as if you didn’t see or hear it. See what we’re saying here?

Thank you.
The Management

Boy, talk about a curious message. Wow!

Clearly, The Management was up to something but I didn’t know what. But, I really didn’t need a lot incentive to ignore emails and this message seemed to suggest I should pay even less attention than I had been to Dplex, etc. Eventually it became clear that some sort of fundraising effort was going on in the background but I didn’t know the details. It was also apparent that it had something to do with my birthday. That’s all I knew.

Fast forward to the end of August. Friday morning, my birthday, was normal in the lab and all the students and Jim & Ann were busy with the usual projects. However, I knew something was up when I returned from lunch to find the main room in the lab cleaned up a bit. Still nothing happened until Ann poked her head in my office at 4:15 and asked:

“What are you doing for the next 45 minutes?” “Answering emails I guess” was my response. “Good” said Ann. “Stay in your office. You can’t come out until we come and get you.” “Ok”, I said meekly.

So, I got busy with the unending stream of emails and waited for the knock on the door – which came nearly an hour later.

I walked out of my office and into a party – a surprise birthday party attended by many of my friends and local Monarch Watch supporters as well as Jim and Ann and the “Critter Crew” – our student support staff. Outstanding! There were lots of folks and great food in abundance! Jim set up a camera and the party was streamed live – I hope many of you got to see it. Jim also arranged for various people to connect with the party live via SKYPE video. The first to connect was my daughter Wendy and her two children, Jackson and Reesey, both of whom extended wonderful birthday greetings. We also connected with Carole Jordan, Jim Gagnon, and Janis Lentz – all long-time monarch supporters and with Paty Betancourt and her students from Piedras Negras (across the border in Mexico from Eagle Pass). Paty and her students, accompanied by a student in the ecology club on the guitar, sang “Las Mañanitas” (a traditional Mexican birthday song) to me. It was a great surprise and delight.

At some point candles were lit on a cake and I blew them out but I’m not sure whether this was before or after the biggest surprise of all. With some ceremony and finally with an explanation of what he and Ann had been up to with the “Chip in for Monarch Watch” campaign, Jim presented me with one of those big, sweepstakes-sized checks for over $15,000 – amazing!

I had expected a modest fundraising effort and outcome but I was floored by this amount. Jim told me there were over 300 contributors – 300 “Friends of Monarch Watch” who felt that what we did was worthwhile and worthy of their support. At this point I was doing my best to keep from getting choked up and I still am. The comments many of you made about how Monarch Watch has helped you connect with monarchs, plants, pollinators, and the community of great people who share your interest in monarchs has touched me deeply. I greatly appreciate your support and thoughtfulness – and your extraordinary commitment to monarch conservation.

If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to spend a little time reading through the comments and browsing the photos at monarchwatch.org/chip

I want to thank all of you who have contributed to this fund. With this support we will keep Monarch Watch going. It is gratifying to know that there are other people out there who care – no only about monarchs but about all in the world that sustains us. You are great, all of you – thank you, thank you.

My special thanks to Jim Lovett and Ann Ryan, who made all this happen, to Ina Warren for her useful suggestions and frequent nudges, and to everyone that brought food and drink to the party – Jackie, Dale, Rosemary, Larry, Margarete, Mary, Alicia, Ann, Sarah, and Emily.

[ NOTE FROM JIM: We’ve had a tremendous response to this campaign and continue to receive contributions and comments – the connections that are facilitated by monarchs and Monarch Watch are extraordinary – so we have extended it through the end of September to make sure everyone that wants to participate has the opportunity. If you have any questions about this please let me know. ]

Wanted: Gerber Baby Food Containers

Do you or someone you know use Gerber’s “2nd Foods” Baby Food packs – the larger, 3.5-ounce containers? Here’s what they look like on the shelf at your grocery store and removed from the package:

If you have access to a supply of these empty containers, consider sending them to us (please rinse them first!) for reuse as monarch rearing chambers:

I don’t think Gerber had monarchs in mind when they introduced these containers, but they work quite well and save us a lot of time compared to other methods we’ve used.

We raise thousands of caterpillars each year so we can use a TON of these – please start saving these empty containers and lids for Monarch Watch and once you have a number of them (shouldn’t take long!) please contact us at monarch@ku.edu for mailing/shipping instructions. If you can coordinate a collection from several sources to send in a single package, all the better. Thank You!

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

ADDENDUM: It seems lots of folks are curious as to the mystery substance in the containers with the larvae (in addition to the frass). It is, indeed, an artificial diet of our own design. Since Monarch Watch was founded back in 1992, we have shipped hundreds of thousands of caterpillars on an artificial diet to schools an individuals as a part of our Monarch Rearing Kits. Our diet is not available at this time, but may be in the future – stay tuned!

Monarch Population Status

As many of you know, the fall monarch migration is well underway. In July when I wrote the text for the Premigration Newsletter (available for download at monarchwatch.org/tagging) it was already clear that the fall migration would be modest and certainly no larger than the migrations we have seen for the last several years. It is now clear that the migration this year will be smaller than any seen since the fall of 2004, a migration that resulted in an all-time low overwintering population in Mexico of 2.19 hectares.

The overwintering population this winter will probably be less than 4 hectares and could be much less if the long term drought that has persisted in much of Texas and northeastern Mexico doesn’t abate. Monarchs are highly dependent on nectar and sources of water to fuel the migration through this region in October and November and, if the drought persists and nectar resources are scarce during this period, the number of monarchs reaching the overwintering sites will be reduced. There have been some recent rains in Texas but it is not yet clear whether these rains have been sufficient or widespread enough to provide the fall flowers needed by the monarchs.

Chip in for Monarch Watch

Spring has sprung, summer is fading, and the spectacular fall monarch migration will soon be upon us…

August also marks another lesser-known yet still noteworthy annual event – the birthday of the father, so to speak, of Monarch Watch. Some introduce him as Dr. Orley R. Taylor, Professor Taylor, the Honeybee Guy, the Monarch Man, or the Director of Monarch Watch…but most of us know him as “Chip.”

In response to our “Future of Monarch Watch” article posted earlier this year (monarchwatch.org/future), several long-time Monarch Watchers have suggested a fundraising campaign in honor of Chip and it seems fitting to run it up to his birthday, which happens to be at the end of this month.

Not only does Chip draw no salary from Monarch Watch, he has also been the single largest financial contributor to the program over its eighteen year history. It is no secret that Chip is passionate about monarchs and Monarch Watch – he is genuinely concerned about the future of the monarch migration and that of our program as well.

So, in honor of Chip we’re officially launching the “Chip in for Monarch Watch” fundraising campaign for the month of August – a chance for Monarch Watchers, colleagues, friends, and family across the planet to show their support for Chip and the Monarch Watch program he brought to life nearly two decades ago.

1. Send an email to Jim at JLOVETT@KU.EDU and type “Chip in for Monarch Watch” in the subject line – in this email message please include the following:

• Your name (or that of an organization)
• Your pledge amount ($1, $10, $100 or more – any amount will be greatly appreciated)
• A personal note for Chip (could be a sentence, a paragraph, or a letter; photos are welcome too!)
• Your name as you would like it to appear online (full name, first name(s), initials, organization, or anonymous is fine)

If you would like to make the donation anonymously please note that but include your name so that we can match it with your gift.

2. Make your fully tax-deductible donation to Monarch Watch via any of the methods listed below. All donations will be processed by the KU Endowment Association – however you donate, please make sure the gift is directed to Monarch Watch.

• Securely Online: Give Now in Support of Monarch Watch
• By Phone: 800-444-4201 or 888-653-6111 toll-free
• By Mail: please make checks payable to Monarch Watch and mail to

Gift Processing Department
KU Endowment
P.O. Box 928
Lawrence, KS 66044-0928

Additionally, to make a donation or ask questions about gift options, gift planning, endowed funds, employer matching programs, etc. you may contact:

Burke Beeler, Director of Donor Relations
bbeeler@kuendowment.org
785-832-7443
800-444-4201 or 888-653-6111 toll-free

3. We will then assemble a donor list, the notes, and/or photos into a big birthday card and present them to Chip at the end of the month. We’ll also post updates, photos, etc. at monarchwatch.org/chip and may even broadcast live video as well.

Please spread the word to other monarch enthusiasts you know – it has also been suggested that donations could be collected from several individuals (friends, family, co-workers, club members, etc.) and then submitted as a single donation by any of the methods listed above.

Donations are accepted at anytime throughout the year, but if you would like to be included in this special “Chip in for Monarch Watch” campaign, please complete your contribution by August 28, 2009.

If you have any questions please feel free to drop us a line anytime – thank you for your continued support!

Oh, and Chip doesn’t know about this little venture so let’s try to keep it a secret!

Don’t forget to check out monarchwatch.org/chip for donor updates, comments, photos, video and more!

Black Dots on Monarch Pupae

Ann made an interesting observation in the lab this week concerning the black dots that appear close to the cremaster on a monarch pupa. The cremaster is the black “stalk” that attaches to the silk pad spun by the caterpillar prior to pupation. You may have seen this graphic I posted some time ago, showing how you can tell the sex of a monarch pupa (due to the presence of that little line you can tell this one is a female):

You can clearly see the series of paired black dots and it is the pair on the far right that is the subject of Ann’s observation. Note that this last pair of “dots” appears to protrude a bit from the surface of the pupa, whereas the other dots appear “painted” on the surface.

We raise lots of monarchs and occasionally see various issues with pupation – one of those being incomplete shedding of the caterpillar skin. In some cases, a monarch that is unable to completely shed its skin will not be able to attach to the silk pad with the cremaster and the crochet hooks of the cremaster become embedded in the partially shed skin instead.

Due to the large number of monarchs we are raising in preparation for the fall, Ann is seeing quite a few of these and she noticed that these “stuck” pupae tend to be slightly misshapen. In most if not all of the cases where the skin is only partially shed, the area around these black dots is noticeably raised in appearance:

Upper: “stuck” monarch pupa; Lower: “normal” monarch pupa. Photos by Jim Lovett.

Do these features of the pupa play some role in pupation? Perhaps. It certainly looks as if they are the last contact point between the pupa and caterpillar skin as the cremaster emerges and is thrust into the silk pad.

This is something we’ll have to investigate further when we have time but it is quite an interesting observation, don’t you think?

By the way, this particular pupa’s deformation appears to have had no negative impact on its development – as I entered my office this morning I was greeted by a newly emerged male monarch butterfly:

Monarch Watch “Fan” Page on Facebook

You can now find Monarch Watch on Facebook!

Check out our official “fan” page at

facebook.com/monarchwatch

and help promote our program by becoming a fan – we have 559 Facebook Fans so far and counting!

Becoming a fan is simple – just log in to your Facebook account (or create one, it’s free), visit us at facebook.com/monarchwatch and click the “Become a Fan” graphic near the top of the page…it should look something like this:

You can also click on the “Become a Fan” graphic right here:

Please feel free to pass this info on to friends, family, and other monarch enthusiasts you know – thanks!

Monarch Tagging Kits for 2009

Our tags for the 2009 Monarch Watch Tagging Kits arrived this week and we will begin assembling the kits this weekend! Those of you that ordered between January 1st and June 30th of this year should receive your tags within the next ten days or so.

If you haven’t ordered your tagging kits yet, there is still plenty of time before the migration begins – but the tags are going fast. If you would like to participate in monarch tagging this fall, please place your order for tags as soon as possible so that you don’t miss out.

Monarch Watch Tagging Kits are only shipped to areas east of the Rocky Mountains.

As usual, each tagging kit includes a set of specially manufactured monarch butterfly tags (you specify quantity), a datasheet, tagging instructions, and additional monarch / migration information. Standard Tagging Kits for the 2009 season start at only $15 and include your choice of 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, or 500 tags. Sets of 20 Mini Tagging Kits (5 tags each) are available for $40 – for Nature Center programs, etc. that would like to distribute a small number of tags to participants.

Monarch Watch Tagging Kits and other materials (don’t forget to pick up a butterfly net!) are available via the Monarch Watch Shop online at Shop.MonarchWatch.org

HAPPY TAGGING!

Monarch Population Status

The number of migrating monarchs this fall should be similar to those observed in each of the last three years and the total area occupied by monarchs at the overwintering sites in Mexico should once again be close to five (5) hectares.

The last two strong migrations in recent history occurred in 2005 and 2003. It appears that strong monarch migrations occur when the temperatures and rainfall are favorable during the breeding season, including the two periods of migration in the spring and early summer.

This year, the temperatures were a bit higher than normal during the March–April period but perhaps more important were the conditions during the period from late April through mid June. Temperatures in May and June were below normal in many areas, and Minnesota (one of the big production areas for monarchs) experienced below normal rainfall and moderate drought conditions. Overall, the production of monarchs in the south appears to have been moderate, followed by conditions that limited the numbers and reproductive success of the monarchs reaching the northern breeding areas.

Nevertheless, if you have been tagging over the last three years, you should expect to see and be able to tag a reasonable number of monarchs this fall.

Stay tuned for updates as the season progresses…

Plant Fundraiser A Success

Whew, we were busy! Our annual plant fundraiser last month was a huge success – a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone that came out to see us and buy plants for their gardens as well as all those that helped prepare for the event and assisted us throughout the day.

We welcomed nearly 1,000 visitors (our best guess) and a good time was had by all. As a part of our Spring Open House we had lots of things to see and do for kids of all ages – videos and games for children, tours of our garden and lab space, a ton of critters (all monarch life stages, silkworms, tarantulas, hissing cockroaches, cecropias, honeybees, mantids, etc.) and a whole bunch more.

We also had a number of webcams going that were broadcasting the event live over the internet to any Monarch Watchers around the globe that wanted to check in to see what we were doing.

Here’s a short slideshow (33 photos) of the day’s events:

Now we need to start getting ready for our fall events (butterfly festival, open house, tagging, and others) – see you there!

Spring Open House & Plant Fundraiser

It’s that time of year again!

Monarch Watch Spring Open House & Plant Fundraiser
Saturday, May 9th 2009 8am-3pm
KU’s West Campus, Lawrence, KS

This free public event usually attracts 500-1000 visitors and we expect the same this time around.

Nearly 4,000 butterfly plants (both annuals and perennials), including seedlings of several milkweed species, will be available (modest contributions are suggested). A list of available plants is posted at the bottom of the Open House page.

We will also provide refreshments, lots of show & tell, videos and games for children, tours of our garden and lab space, iChat videoconferencing demonstrations, and, of course, monarch butterflies!

We’d love to see you here so mark your calendars! If you can’t make it in person, be sure to check us out online – we plan to post photos and broadcast some LIVE video throughout the day.

Complete details, including a map and directions, are available online at

monarchwatch.org/openhouse

If you have any questions please feel free to drop us a line anytime!