Ticker for September 10, 2003

                
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September 10, 2003 September 10, 2003 September 10, 2003 September 10, 2003


Millions of Royal Wind Vanes To Invade Oklahoma

It's the second week of September, and the advance fleet of the Monarch
butterfly population is beginning to show up across much of the state.
The larger population is still a couple of weeks away, but you can still
get a complimentary weather observation from the early-bird (or is it
"early-bug"?) butterflies.

Here's how, and why:

Monarchs migrate with the sun: northbound in the spring and southward
in the fall.  The groups that migrate through Oklahoma in September and
October are on their way to Mexico to fatten up and spend the winter.

Monarchs are very light and lack the strength to fly against significant
winds.  In fact, they're programmed to hitch a ride on Mother Nature's
zephyrs when conditions are favorable, instead of flapping their way to
their destination.

For the next few weeks, take note of just what the Monarch population
is doing.  If the butterflies are sailing high in the air, winds are
probably from the north and the royal bugs are covering miles on their
journey to Mexico.  If the butterflies are fluttering near the ground
and feeding, it's a sign that southerly winds prevail.  Instead of
spending precious energy fighting the southerly currents, they stay
near the ground (where winds are lighter, anyway) and recharge their
batteries with some delicious nectar!