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.... .... . . 1O-Oroito Weekly Tiunes,,September 18, 1985 Mrs. Nwnlay of ()Teno takes gram at the Orono Fair on an a class of tudents attending educational tour of the ex- the Friday afternoon pro- hibîts and are about ready to ýMonu*[%arch migration best in manRy years THE FEDERATION 0F ONTARIO NATURALISTS WOODS, WATER AND WILDLIFE By Mike Singleton Over the next 2 - 3 weeks, one of nature's most spec- tacular pilgrammages gets underway - right here in On- tario. Monarch butterflies - at theirý peak abundance in many years thanks to a snowy winter-, dry spiing and cool summer - are beginning their trek southward. And, thanks to a geographical quirk, southern Ontario offers superb viewing opportunities. A thpusand mfile migration is a staggering'feat for such a fragile looking insect. Yet, these butterfiies will migrate from throughout Ontario - indeed throughout eastern North Amnerîca - to a single overwintering jungle location in southern Mexico, with staggering accuracy. Exten- sive work by Dr. F. Urquardt of U. of T's Scarborough Campus has documented the fascinating life cycle, but nobody knows how they achieve the remarkable feats of stamina and navigation necessary. It islike you or 1 navigating rîght around the world three or four times in a seven foot boat, with no maps or compasses amid a continuous sea of currents and storms. During this migration, but- terfiies tend to "pile up " along the shore of the Great Lakes, 'awaiting the near- perfect weather conditions they need to cross the lakes without landing. At major points like Long Point and Point Pelee on Lake Erie, and even the new Leslie Street Spit on Lake Ontario, large concentrations of these butterfiies accumnulate. Just before duLsk, they wil by sorte unknown basis - choose a branch or whole tree and oak it witih hundreds to thousands of buitterfiies. These butterfly trees are often used for years. 1 know of 0one (thoro Ugh ly unremarkable) maple in a Scarborough ravine which has been used for at Ieast seven years. And each fal, we get cails about similar spectacles along the lakes' bluffs, in Toronto's High Park, and at many other locations. These monarch trees are best seen around Ontario in mid to late September; they appear in dramatic numbers at Point Pelee about the third week of September. The ideal condi- tions are a major cold front, which forces the butterflies dlown and a south wind holding themn back from crossing the lakes. The monarch's life cycle is also intriguing. Begînning as one of hundreds upon hun- dreds of eggs laid each sum- mer by adutt monarchs, the caterpillars hatch as miniscule yellow and green banded -worms. Munching their way through a third or more their body weight every day in milkweed leaves. They grow rapidly through four moîts, reaching 11/2 inch caterpillars. Cued by a hor- monal dlock, the caterpillar chooses some appropriate place to pupate, firmly at- taches one end to the under- side of the chosen spot using a silken thr ead, then jerks, bobs and squirms until its old skin sloughs off, to reveal an emerald green chrysalis with a row of gold dots down one side. Here, the monarch hangs, transforming a mere ,Worm into' the most spec- tacular of creatures. Many monarchs even overwinter in this form, and one of the most interesting places 1 have seen themn is lined up like jewels at the edge of bridge underhangs. Just before emerging, the monarch assumes its red and black colo'urs, dramatic through the now-clear chrysalis watt, It emerges over the course of the day, first withi its wings crumpled and deflated and with a huge body. Hanging in the suri, it (Continued page '11) Fact finder to meet board and teachersý> Th'le Education Relations Commrission bas appointed Mr. Malcolmn Stocýkton of Niagara Faits to act as Fact Finder in the negotiations between the Secondary teachers and the trustees of the Northumberland and Newýcastle County Board of Education.' Mr. Stockton will mneet with the parties and wiea report setting ouit which mat- ters have been agreed upon andwhc matters remnain in dispute. The report may also contain recomnmen dations for settiement. A graduate of Osgoode Hall Law, Sehool in 1973, Mr. Stockton taught secondary school for two years after graduating from Queen's University (B.A.) in 1968. Mr. Stockton has an exten- sive background in teacher- board relations dating back to 1975. Ris most recent fact finding appointments in- clude: East Parry Sound Elementary and Secondary, and Muskoka Secondary. This appointnrent is made under Section 14 of the School Boards and Teachers Collective Negotiations Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1980. For Honest, Consciencl.ous representat ion with polit ical experience support George CAMERON 1for Regional Council November 12, 1985" n