By Robert D. Woodward

Friday, September 10, 1999--The monarch butterfly activity was minimal in the afternoon at Chichaqua Bottoms wildlife area in Polk County. Approximately 10 monarchs were spotted.

Saturday, September 11--The weather cooled down considerably overnight on Friday, spurring heavy monarch migrating activity across central Iowa on Saturday. A friend and his family saw hundreds of monarchs passing over Saylorville Lake reservoir north of Des Moines on Saturday afternoon. At Chichaqua Bottoms wildlife area, my observations during two hours in the late morning found 237 monarchs flying high in the sky on the way south. Many of the monarchs were spotted using binoculars; others could be seen with the naked eye. The breeze on Saturday morning was blowing from the south southeast at a bit more than 10 miles an hour, and the skies ranged from partly cloudy to cloudy. On the way to Chichaqua from my home in Altoona, I counted 56 monarchs passing across the roadways in central Iowa; on the way home shortly after noon, I saw only seven monarchs.

Sunday, September 12--I made another morning visit to Chichaqua Bottoms wildlife area, because the continued cooler weather suggested the possibility that we were at the peak time of monarchs passing through central Iowa. The wind on Sunday was blowing from the north northwest from 10 to 15 miles an hour, and, once again, the skies ranged from partly cloudy to cloudy during the morning. In one and one-half hours of watching the skies, I observed 104 monarchs in the first hour and 46 monarchs in the next half hour. On my return home, I looked to the north and continued to see monarchs passing at the rate of perhaps 20 every l0 minutes. By 4 p.m. in the afternoon, 10 monarchs were in our butterfly garden in Altoona, feeding off the purple asters and other flowers.

Monday, September 13--The cool weather continued, as did the southerly movement of the monarchs. The temperatures dropped even lower over Monday night and early Tuesday, and I think it's possible that the peak of the monarch migrating activity over central Iowa may have been reached this past weekend.

Tuesday, September 14--Despite the cooler weather, monarchs could be seen in central Iowa on this day. In our butterfly garden after 4 p.m., approximately 20 monarchs were feeding on the flowers or resting and sunning their wings in the hackberry and apple trees.

Wednesday, September 15--Only two monarchs were observed on this day.

Friday, September 17--A sunny day and warmer weather brought out a flurry of migrating monarchs. During a two-hour drive along roadways in central Iowa, approximately 95 monarchs were spotted moving south.

Sunday, September 19--Only one monarch was observed during this cool day. A visit to Chichaqua Bottoms wildlife area during the late morning did not turn up a single monarch. The morning was cool and cloudy.

Tuesday, September 21--Just when it appeared that the cool days had ended most of the monarch activity, a delightful surprise showed up on purple asters in the butterfly garden. At approximately 4 p.m., 15 monarchs were observed on the asters, basking in the warmth of a late afternoon sun and feeding off the asters. The butterflies provided some great possibilities for photography.