| Comments | The cold front earlier this week definitely stepped up the pace of the monarch migration through central Iowa. During a visit to Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, I observed at least 125 monarchs during a 2 1/2-hour visit in the late afternoon. A highlight was watching 25 to 30 monarchs nectaring on a large stand of Jerusalem artichoke. Some of the plants are now more than 10 feet tall, and the monarchs were flying around the flowers and feeding, their outlines making a beautiful picture against the autumn sky. The solitude of the surroundings fit well with the day of national remembrance concerning the 9/11 tragedy. |
