–by Dr. Bob Bauernfeind
Pushing the envelope (as I often do), how does one use Muhammad Ali’s “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee”, epitomized boxing style, and the movie Poltergeist tagline, “They’re here”, as an introduction to a Kansas Insect Newsletter article? I spent time on Saturday and Sunday doing yardwork. It was Sunday afternoon that (out of the corner of my eye) I frequently glimpsed monarch butterflies lazily/lightly floating by. I had noticed none the day before. So, “They’re here” refers to their arrival in Kansas (well, Manhattan) on Sunday as they were on their southward migration to their overwintering grounds in Mexico.
There are individuals with passionate interests in the status of monarch butterfly populations and activities. Avid monarch-watchers access websites which better document the current presence/movements of migrating monarchs. My sighting certainly has no official status in terms of documentation —- just a “casual” observation on my part.
