Monarch and Relatives' Seasonal Distribution in Central Texas

X - Specimen Record - At least one specimen collected within the designated 10-day period.
V - Sight Record - At least one individual sighted within the designated 10-day period.
= - No Sight or Specimen Record within the designated 10-day period.

Data collected by Chris Durden between 1968 and 1990.

• Texas Fall Migration Map with Pathways and Peak Dates

Current Weather Conditions

Wind Map - Mouse over any point to get current wind speed

Palmer Drought Severity Index Map - Interpretation - NOAA

US Drought Monitor - NOAA

Soil Moisture Anomaly - USDA/NOAA

Other U.S. Weather Maps

Milkweed Information - Family Apocynaceae (formerly: Asclepiadaceae)

Identification and Distribution

• Identification of Milkweeds (Asclepias, family Apocynaceae) in Texas - TPWD, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center & Baylor University - 2015
  
• Texas Milkweed Photos - Harlen and Altus Aschen
• Select Texas Milkweeds - Mike Quinn
  
• Milkweed Photo Guide - Monarch Watch
• Plants Profile - Asclepias - USDA
• Patterns in the spatial and temporal use of Texas milkweeds (Asclepiadaceae) by the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) during fall, 1996 - Calvert, 1999
• Distribution maps of North Americas Asclepias spp. - BONAP's North American Plant Atlas
• Density gradient of native species for Asclepias within the US - BONAP, 2011

Propagation, Gardening and Conservation

• Milkweed Regrowth at a Texas Burn Site - 2016
• Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner's Guide. Borders, B. & E. Lee-Mäder. 2014. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland, OR. 146 pp.
• Plant Recommendations for Monarch Butterfly, TX, OK, KS - USDA, 2015
  
• How to propagate Milkweed seeds (and cuttings) - Monarch Watch
• How to Get Texas Native Milkweed Seeds to Germinate - Advice from Native American Seed - Monika Maeckle, 2013
• Persnickety Texas Milkweeds "May not Lend Themselves to Mass Seed Production" - Monika Maeckle, 2013
• Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Propagation Datasheet (PDF) - Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
• Texas Butterfly Gardening 
• Compilation of Pollinator Records for 160 Milkweed Species in the Family Asclepiadaceae - Ollerton & Liede, 1997 (Abstract)
• A Phylogeny of Apocynaceae sensu lato - Judd et al., 2002

Texas Milkweeds and the Danaid Caterpillars that Feed on Them

Species most important to the Spring Monarch migration highlighted in red

Milkweed Seed & Plant Sources

Non-Danaid Insects Closely Associated with Milkweeds of Texas and Beyond

• Insects Carrying Milkweed Pollinia - Hemipera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera
  

Texas Longhorn Beetles (Cerambycidae) that Host on Milkweed

Beetles (Meloidae, Chrysomelidae, Curculionidae) that Host on Milkweed

Texas Moth Caterpillars (Tiger, Noctuid, Sphinx and Saturniid) that Host on various Milkweeds

Citizen Science Programs

Mexico - Conservation - Discovery - News - Videos - Travel

Conservation

• Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Reserve: 40% Decline in Illegal Logging; Threats from Climate Rage on - WWF, 2016
  
• Dynamics and trends of overwintering colonies of the monarch butterfly in Mexico - Omar Vidal, Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, 2014
• Trends in deforestation and forest degradation after a decade of monitoring in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico - Vidal et al., 2014
• Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR) Boundaries - 1986 & 2000 - Journey North
• How 10 Million Became 50 Million Monarchs - Journey North
• Alternare - press - interview - Results and Training Center - Indigenous Community near Zitacuaro 
• A New Vision for the Monarch Butterfly - Presidente Vicente Fox - November 28, 2001
• Michoacan Reforestation Fund
• Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation
• U.S. F&WS, International Affairs - Wildlife Without Borders - Monarch Programs - Funding Summary 1995-2004
• An Informal Meeting to Discuss Issues and Options - Houston, TX - 16 June 1996
• Angangueo, Mexico 1973, 1986, 2000 - USGS

The Discovery

• Blog about Catalina Aguado and her experinces in discovering the monarch overwintering colonies - Monika Maeckle, 2012
  
• Kenneth C. Brugger, Unlocked a Butterfly Mystery - NYTimes Obituary, 1998
  
• Urquhart, F. A. 1976. Found at last: the Monarch's winter home. National Geographic Magazine 150:160-173. (August)
• A Discovery Tale - Bill Calvert
• In Pursuit of a Little History - 1998 Monarch Watch Season Summary - see pages 24-25
• Brower, L.P. 1995. Understanding and misunderstanding the migration of the monarch butterfly, 1857-1995. J. Lep. Soc. 49:304-385
• Bianca Lavies. 1992. Monarch Butterflies: Mysterious Travelers. Dutton Children's Books, New York. 28 pp. (out of print)

News & Information

• Monarch Population Status - Feb, 2016 - Discussion by Monarch Watch, Chip Taylor, University of Kansas

• How Many Millions of Monarchs in Mexico? - Population estimates showing winter mortality - Journey North

• Google Map of Monarch Biosphere Reserve Boundaries - Mike Quinn 

• Percentage of monarchs in each overwintering colony 2008-09 - Journey North 

• Living in the Shadow of a Million Butterflies - Lourdes Garcia-Navarro - NPR - February 4, 2005 

• Overview of Monarch Overwintering Biology - Michelle J. Solensky. 2005.

• Monarch Watch Updates on illegal logging May 2004 - June 2004 - July 2004 

• Illegal Logging and its Impact in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve - WWF Mexico Program - May 2004
• Single Storm Kills Over 75% of Eastern North America’s Migratory Monarchs - January 2002 - Journey North
• Correo Real - Tracking the Monarch Migration Through Northern Mexico - Rocío Treviño
• Flight of the Monarchs - Alex Shoumatoff, 1999

Graphs & Charts

• Which Sanctuaries do the monarch butterflies select? 2009-2014 - Journey North
• Precipitation in the Monarch Overwintering Sites in Mexico - Journey North
• Average Low Temperatures of the Monarch Overwintering Sites in Mexico - Journey North
• Monarch Lipid Mass by Month - Journey North

Photos & Videos

• Fine dust is kicked up by natives, tourists, and their horses - Journey North
• Angangueo Skyline - Journey North
• Video Visit to the Sanctuaries - Journey North
• Domestic Uses of Wood in the Monarch Sanctuary Region - Journey North
• Life in the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Region of Mexico - Journey North
• Sierra Chincua - Photos by Mike Quinn, 2004
• El Rosario - Photos by Mike Quinn, 2004

Other Migratory Insects of Texas and North America

• Odonata / Orthoptera / Hemiptera / Homoptera / Coleoptera
• Lepidoptera: Black Witch Moth, Owl Moth, Urania Moth, American Snout

Monarch People, Places and Events

Below folders are in the process of being relocated to Flickr

• Photo Tour of El Roasario Monarch Colony @ Michoacan, Mexico - Feb. 2018
• Photo Tour of Sierra Chincua Monarch Colony @ Michoacan, Mexico - Feb. 2018
• Photo Tour of Angangueo (town betw. El Rosario & Sierra Chincua) @ Michoacan, Mexico - Feb. 2018
• South-Central Monarch Symposium @ Wildflower Center - May/June 2017
  
• Jeff Kopachena Monarch Study Site @ Northeast TX - May 2017
  
• Monarch Author Anurag Agrawal @ San Antonio Book Festival - 2017
• West Texas Monarch Roost Site @ Lake Amistad National Recreation Area - 2016
• Monarch Butterfly Workgroup Status Reports @ Texas Comptroller - 2016
• Monarch Appreciation Day @ Zilker Botanical Garden, Austin - 2016
  
• Texas Pollinator Powwow III - @ Wildflower Center - 2015
• Monarch Symposium ESA @ Portland, OR - 2014
• Bill Calvert Interview @ Wildflower Center - 2014
• Monarch Discovery, 40 years later - @ Wildflower Center - 2014
• Lincoln Brower & Catalina Trail @ Wildflower Center - 2014
• Field Trip with Catalina Trail - @ Barton Creek, Austin - 2014
  
• PBS NewHour Monarch Interview @ Wildflower Center - 2013
• Casa Calvert @ Austin - 2013
  
• Lincoln Brower Conducting Monarch Lipid Survey - 2011
• Monarch Larval Monitoring @ Cibolo Nature Center, Boerne - 2010
  
• Monarch Roost in South Austin - TPWD video - Oct. 8-13, 2008
• Sierra Chincua @ Michoacán, Mexico - Dec. 2004
• El Rosario @ Michoacán, Mexico - Dec. 2004

Books, Papers and Bibliographies

    Books - Popular

• Milkweed, Monarchs and More
  Ba Rea, Karen Oberhauser and Michael A. Quinn. 2003. Bas Relief Publishing Group
  
  
• Four Wings and a Prayer: Caught in the Mystery of the Monarch Butterfly
  Sue Halpern. 2001. Random House
  
  
• Milkweed
  Millicent E. Selsam. 1967. William Morrow and Co. (out of print)
  
  
• The Milkweed and Its World of Animals 
  Frank & Ada Graham, photos. by Les Line. 1976. 
  Doubleday & Co., Garden City, NY. 103 pp. (out of print)
  
  
• Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide: Plant Ecology, Seed Production Methods, and Habitat Restoration Opportunities
  Brianna Borders and Eric Lee-Mader. 2014.
  The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Portland.
  
  
• Monarch Butterfly International Traveler
  Fred A. Urquhart. 1998. Caxton (out of print)
  
  
• Monarchs
  Kathryn Lasky. 1993. Harcourt Brace & Co.
  
  
• Chasing Monarchs
  Robert Michael Pyle. 1999. Houghton Mifflin Company

    Books - Technical

• The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation - (Limited Preview)
  Karen S. Oberhauser & Michelle J. Solensky (Editors). 2004. 
  Cornell University Press, Ithaca. 256 pp.
  
  
• Biology and Conservation of the Monarch Butterfly - (Limited Preview)
  Stephen B. Malcolm, Myron P. Zalucki, 1993.
  Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. 419 pp.
  
  
• Milkweed Butterflies: Their Cladistics and Biology
  P.R. Ackery & R.I. Vane-Wright. 1984. Cornell, Ithaca (out of print)

    Articles - Popular

• Mexico’s Monarch Butterfly Reserve: 40% Decline in Illegal Logging; Threats from Climate Rage on - WWF, 2016
• Tropical milkweed and the injurious effects of well-meaning people - Jeffrey Glassberg, 2015
• Has the Monarch Lost its Realm? - Karen S. Oberhauser, 2013
• Founder of Monarch Roosting Sites in Mexico Lives a Quiet Life in Austin, Texas -  Monika Maeckle, 2012
• Flight of the Monarchs - Alex Shoumatoff, 1999
• Trans-Gulf Express - Gary Noel Ross
  

    Articles - Scientific

• Conclusion of No Decline in Summer Monarch Population Not Supported - Pleasants et al. 2016. Annals of the Entomological Society of America.
• Dynamics and trends of overwintering colonies of the monarch butterfly in Mexico - Omar Vidal, Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, 2014
• Trends in deforestation and forest degradation after a decade of monitoring in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico - Vidal et al., 2014
  
• Factors affecting road mortality and the suitability of road verges for butterflies. Skórka et al. 2013.
  
• Milkweed loss in agricultural fields because of herbicide use: effect on the monarch butterfly population - Pleasants and Oberhauser, 2012
• Reduction in common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) occurrence in Iowa cropland from 1999 to 2009 - Robert G. Hartzler. 2010.
• Report: North American Monarch Conservation Plan - 2008.
  
• The fall migration flyways of monarch butterflies in eastern North America revealed by citizen scientists - Elizabeth Howard, Andrew K. Davis, 2008.
  
• Reduced numbers of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico during the 2004-2005 season: evidence, possible causes and recommendations - WWF-Mexico Report, 2005
• Characteristics of Fall Migratory Monarch Butterflies, Danaus plexippus, in Minnesota and Texas - Borland, et al. 2004.
  
• Implications of roadway mortality for populations of Lepidoptera in east-central Illinois - McKenna et al. 2001. [PDF]
• Temporal and spatial overlap between monarch larvae and corn pollen - Oberhauser, et al. 2001. [PDF]
• Impact of Bt corn pollen on monarch butterfly populations: A risk assessment - Sears, et al. 2001.  [PDF]
• Insect herbivores of 12 milkweed (Asclepias) species - Betz, et al. 2000.
• Transgenic pollen harms monarch larvae - Losey, et al. 1999
• Patterns in the spatial and temporal use of Texas milkweeds (Asclepiadaceae) by the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus L.) during fall, 1996 - Calvert, 1999.
• Natal origins of migratory monarch butterflies at wintering colonies in Mexico: new isotopic evidence - Wassenaar & Hobson, 1998.
• Fire ant predation on monarch larvae (Nymphalidae: Danainae) in a central Texas prairie - Calvert, 1996.
• Conquering soldiers: the successful invasion of Florida by Danaus eresimus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) [Figs 4-7] [Figs 8-12] - John Calhoun, 1996.
  
• Understanding and misunderstanding the migration of the monarch butterfly (Nymphalidae) in North America: 1857-1995 - Brower, 1995. 
• Diversity and temporal change in the effective pollinators of Asclepias tuberosa - Fishbein & Venable. 1996
  
• Milkweed host plant utilization and cardenolide sequestration by monarch butterflies in Louisiana and Texas. Pp. 107-123. In: Biology and Conservation of the Monarch Butterfly , Malcolm and  Zalucki (Ed.) - Lynch and Martin, 1993.
• Cardenolide content and thin-layer chromatography profiles of monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus L., and their larval host-plant milkweed, Asclepias asperulas subsp. capricornus in north central Texas. - Martin and Lynch, 1988.
• Survey of Coleoptera collected on the common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, at one site in Ohio - Dailey, et al. 1978.
• Survey of Hemiptera collected on common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, at one site in Ohio - Dailey, et al. 1978.
• The North American species of Asclepias L. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden - Woodson, 1954. 

    Bibliographies of Scientific Papers

• Compilation of  Monarch papers by Bill Calvert - Bill Calvert 
• ASCLEPOL - a compilation of pollinator records for 160 species in the family Asclepiadaceae - Ollerton & Liede, 1997
• Bibliography of Milkweed (Asclepias spp.) - Todd DeGooyer, 1996
  
• Scientific Bibliography - Almost 1000 of the most important Monarch papers - Monarch Watch
• Bibliography of North American Insect Migration  

05 March 2021 ©  Mike Quinn / entomike@gmail.com / Texas Entomology