Minnesota Master Naturalist

Newsletter – Xerces Society

Spring is officially here, although the weather in many regions doesn’t completely agree, with 60 degree days alternating with chilly rain or snow. Signs of insect activity are evident, more so in warm regions than elsewhere. Fruit tree blossoms are a-hum with bees, mining bees have emerged to forage on willow, and Indiana is getting an official state insect.

Additional New Year’s Count Supports Monarchs Movement Between Sites
For twenty years, the Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count has monitored the number of monarch butterflies overwintering in California. Last year we added a second count, the New Year Count. Monarchs are mobile and they move around through the season. Combining the data from the two counts gives insights into site and rangewide population changes.
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