Hurricane Ike Rips Across Eastern North America
We begin this week with heartfelt concern for the people who were affected by Hurricane Ike. The world watched last weekend as the hurricane struck, but we worried like family about the people in the monarch community who live in the hurricane's path.

Hurricane Ike: How Were Monarchs Affected?
Did you know that hurricanes can be a hazard monarchs face during their migration to Mexico? Hurricane Ike showed how hurricanes can destroy human property and lives. Some people wondered, in what ways could such a powerful storm affect the monarch population? After all, most of North America's monarchs are heading toward Texas right now and the Texas Gulf Coast is one of their main migration pathways. What might the impact of a hurricane be on monarchs and other wildlife?

• Hurricane Ike: How Were Monarchs Affected?

Clearing After the Storm: A Strong Pulse of Migration
Strong wind and rain held the migration in place until the remnants of Hurricane Ike had moved across eastern North America. But when the weather cleared, monarchs were on the move!

Canada and the Great Lakes
Monarchs have been pouring out of Canada along the northern shores of the Great Lakes. The first roosts were finally reported from Canada, too.

"The last major Ontario monarch migration wave is underway," wrote Don Davis from Toronto also on the 15th. "East of Toronto, the crew at the Cranberry Marsh Hawk Watch reported thousands of monarchs and dragonflies." On Sunday monarchs were moving through at a rate of 60 per hour.

"Hundreds of monarchs sighted flying west, hugging Lake Ontario's north shoreline. Hundreds also resting in trees. Strong westerly wind, the aftermath of Ike which blew through yesterday," observed Ian Ross in Whitby, Ontario, on Monday, September 15th.

Central United States
The monarchs pushed into Kansas in a clear wave. In Kansas City, Elizabeth Brown had been watching the weather and migration map. She predicted that, with clear skies, the monarchs would soon arrive:

. .."and here they are!" she exclaimed on Tuesday. "The migration today was excellent! In one hour I observed 160 Monarchs, and 60 of these came in 18 minutes."

"My office is on the eighth floor of Mission Towers and for the last few days my colleagues and I have been treated to the sights of dozens of monarchs streaming by," Mike Helzel wrote from Mission, Kansas today.

East Coast
Watch the Atlantic Coast in the week ahead because we should finally begin to see some movement there. Also in the East, Dr. Lincoln Brower reported from his home in Virginia that a clear wave of migrants arrived on Wednesday:

"The monarch situation here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia between Charlottesville and Lynchburg has been worrisome this summer and fall. However, at 3 PM today (17 Sept 08) I counted 17 fresh, obviously migrants nectaring. And at 7PM they were gyrating around and we saw a small cluster (count ~ > 16) forming on our Tulip Poplar!!!"

Hurricane Ike hit the Texas Gulf Coast on September 12.

• How might North America's monarchs be affected by Ike?

What Else Were the Monarchs Avoiding This Week?
In addition to avoiding the hurricane, people saw monarchs avoiding something else this week. The butterflies were traveling in places where the local geography is dangerous. Can you figure out what the monarchs were avoiding?

For Your Journal

• Explore this week's sightings!

Tagged Monarch Found!

• What do its travels tell you?

Please Report Your Sightings!

Watch for monarchs that are flying in "directional flight," resting at overnight roosts, or refueling at flowers in fields, gardens, or roadsides.

• How to Watch Fall Monarch Migration

• Discovery! Tagged Monarch Found! What do its travels tell you?
• Journal Page: Reading Journey North News and Collecting My Thoughts
• Journal Page: Reading Citizen Science Reports and Collecting My Thoughts
• Symbolic Migration: You're Invited to Send a Symbolic Monarch to Mexico!
• Collecting Data: How to Monitor Fall Migration
• Observing Fall Habitat: How is Monarch Butterfly Habitat Changing?
• Journey North for Kids: Monarch Butterfly Resources for Children
• More: Monarch fall lessons and teaching ideas

Monarch Butterfly Migration Updates Will be Posted on THURSDAYS: Aug. 28, Sep. 4, 11, 18, 25, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30, Nov. 6...or until the monarchs reach Mexico!

The Next Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on September 25, 2008.