Citizen Science – Monarchs

by Paula Levihn-Coon

As we live in the Coronavirus hell that nature produced, I am reminded of the marvels that nature can also produce. A few days ago, I was out on a properly socially distanced walk when my eye caught some movement that took my breath away, and I said to my husband, “They’re here!” I pointed to two Monarch butterflies alight in their characteristic flight pattern in which they make delightful dips as they determinedly head north. As we watched the pair, they flitted with another butterfly (a bright yellow Sulphur), then stopped to nectar on the wildflowers which have just begun to bloom in nature’s perfect way of timing itself. Fueled, they continued northward, in their relentless search for the milkweed on which they must lay their eggs to survive.

Emerging from my revelry, I grabbed my cell phone and searched Google for “Journey North,” a website into which any of us can be citizen scientists by inputting migration data on not only monarchs, but creatures like hummingbirds (who, too, are just arriving here in Texas) and whales. I logged into my account that I’d created last fall when the monarchs were headed south to their overwintering grounds in the oyamel forests near Mexico City. I navigated to “Sightings” and was asked to “Select Species” or “Event,” then scrolled through an alphabetical list that included things like “bald eagle,” “manatee” and “loon” before I found “monarch butterfly” and clicked on it. I was taken to a google map of Austin, Texas, where I live, and asked to move a red marker to my exact location and then report a few simple things: what I saw (adult, egg or larva), when I saw it, how many I saw, and my comments. It also had an option to upload a photo of what I saw. After filling in the data, I clicked “Submit Report.” We continued on our walk. I was filled with both a feeling of joy at witnessing the arrival of these amazing creatures and a feeling of accomplishment at having participated in science.

Two days later, I received an email with the subject line “Confirm Your Monarch Sighting” from the Data Manager, Liz Goering, at Journey North, which is run by Dr. Karen Oberhauser at the University of Wisconsin. She asked me to give her more details about my sighting:
“Did the monarch look faded and worn or bright and new? Is there any chance of a photo? If no photo, please describe its color and condition. If you haven’t already told us, what was the butterfly doing when you saw it? Is milkweed up and available? If so, have you had a chance to check for monarch eggs on it?”
I was astounded that someone had noted MY observation. She explained that my sighting was on the front end of the migration, which was why it was so important! How cool is that!

As the weather warms this week, we’ll be seeing more monarchs here in Austin, Texas. They are pushed north by warm fronts. When you’re housebound from sheltering from the Coronavirus, take your kids (and your adult self) outside and look for these spectacular harbingers of spring. Cheer them on during their arduous flight from the mountains of Mexico across the Gulf of Mexico to Canada! Celebrate their arrival and contribute to scientists’ attempts to understand their unparalleled achievement.

p.s. Look for hummingbirds, too!