Allens Pond and Monarchs in Charleston SC

[Lauren Miller-Donnelly]

Yesterday I observed several butterflies on the Beach Loop trail of Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, plenty of Monarchs still moving!  Wind was quite strong in the opposite direction of their migration. 

10/24/16

American Lady 1

Red Admiral 1

Orange Sulphur 2

Cabbage White 1

American Copper 2

Monarch 15

I also yielded a call to the office about Monarchs, a woman found a still Monarch yesterday near the Sanctuary, kept it in her car with some hydrangeas from Sylvan and let it go yesterday and it was flying really well! She wanted to know if it was going to migrate or not.  I said it will try!

Lastly I was in Charleston South Carolina last weekend (sorry I missed the meeting) and saw HUNDREDS of Ocola skippers, it was the most common butterfly by far! We also found Monarchs on Sullivan's Island, much of the nectar plants on the coast were whipped by hurricane Matthew so they were nectaring on the north west side of the island on two bushes of what looked a type of southern marsh Elder, I found a group of about 200 on the 16th on.  

Lauren Miller-Donnelly

Westport, MA