Monarch Butterfly Observations (and Historic Monarch reference)
21 views
Skip to first unread message
Thomas Dodd
Sep 19, 2026, 11:40:58 AM (5 days ago) Sep 19
to mas...@googlegroups.com
Horseneck Beach, Westport, MA, September 18, 2026 (1:30 PM – 4:30 PM)
Weather: Mid-70s (°F), beautiful day with building cumulus clouds.
Activity: Casual beach visit (not actively butterflying).
Weather: Mid-70s (°F), beautiful day with building cumulus clouds.
Activity: Casual beach visit (not actively butterflying).
Monarch 4
Observations:
Just before leaving the beach, we observed a single Monarch flying low over the sand. It landed a couple of times before flying toward a man who was smoking a cigar. As it drew close, the man moved, and the butterfly flew off.
About 10 minutes later, the same butterfly approached the man again, coming within a few feet of him. When he outstretched his hand, it flew away. I spotted the insect one final time cruising the immediate area.
An on-line search suggests that certain butterflies are attracted to specific organic chemical compounds in smoke or strong odors that mimic the scents of flowering plants or larval host plants. The cigar had a notably strong, distinct aroma.
Just before leaving the beach, we observed a single Monarch flying low over the sand. It landed a couple of times before flying toward a man who was smoking a cigar. As it drew close, the man moved, and the butterfly flew off.
About 10 minutes later, the same butterfly approached the man again, coming within a few feet of him. When he outstretched his hand, it flew away. I spotted the insect one final time cruising the immediate area.
An on-line search suggests that certain butterflies are attracted to specific organic chemical compounds in smoke or strong odors that mimic the scents of flowering plants or larval host plants. The cigar had a notably strong, distinct aroma.
Historical Reflection: Monarch Flight of September 18, 1999
The beach sighting brought back memories of a massive Monarch migration event my wife and I (and others) once witnessed streaming across the Horseneck Beach parking lot. While looking for the exact date in my personal logs, I couldn't find the specific Westport entry. However, I discovered a related record from exactly 27 years earlier to the day at our house:
Upton, MA Home Record (Sep 18, 1999): Recorded 74 Monarchs flying at tree height over our house between 5:45 PM and 6:45 PM.
Suspecting this aligned with the Westport flight, I searched through past issues of Massachusetts Butterflies. In the Spring 2000 edition, an article by Brian Cassie confirmed the timeline.
The article documented a phenomenal flight on that exact day (September 18, 1999). An estimated 14,000 Monarchs flew west along the shoreline between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This averaged out to nearly 50 Monarchs per minute—a historic migration event that has not been matched since.
The beach sighting brought back memories of a massive Monarch migration event my wife and I (and others) once witnessed streaming across the Horseneck Beach parking lot. While looking for the exact date in my personal logs, I couldn't find the specific Westport entry. However, I discovered a related record from exactly 27 years earlier to the day at our house:
Upton, MA Home Record (Sep 18, 1999): Recorded 74 Monarchs flying at tree height over our house between 5:45 PM and 6:45 PM.
Suspecting this aligned with the Westport flight, I searched through past issues of Massachusetts Butterflies. In the Spring 2000 edition, an article by Brian Cassie confirmed the timeline.
The article documented a phenomenal flight on that exact day (September 18, 1999). An estimated 14,000 Monarchs flew west along the shoreline between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. This averaged out to nearly 50 Monarchs per minute—a historic migration event that has not been matched since.
I've attached a screenshot of the article:
Tom Dodd, Upton
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages