Missed the Migration?

Usually, over Labor Day weekend and the first week or two of September, there are monarchs everywhere, especially on the goldenrod and blazing star. It is the time of year to tag these butterflies since they're on their way to Mexico.

But this year continues to be strange. Many of the flowers bloomed earlier than usual, so there are less nectaring plants for the butterflies to feed on. That may be why I'm seeing fewer monarchs.

And the few that I have seen feeding on flowers are very flighty - they leave the plants if you come anywhere near them.

Yesterday, at Dakota County's Spring Lake Park Schaar's Bluff, my family and I looked for monarchs to tag. We spotted one, but - zoom - it took off before we could anywhere close to it. We did spot a viceroy, though, something I haven't seen in a couple of years.


Notice how the viceroy looks a lot like a monarch.
But viceroys have the added dark line on the lower wings.

 I wonder if the main migration of monarchs from Minnesota is over - they've flown the coop already, I guess!