Reports of Monarch butterflies this week are all over the map as they continue their migration south, but it appears they’re arriving in Mexico today.  A story in the Saltillo Herald trumpeted the news, describing the Saltillo sky as “painted orange and

Hola Mariposa monarca in Juarez, Mexico

Hola Mariposa monarca!  Photo taken in Juarez, Mexico by Paulina Marquez via Twitpic

black.” Sources at the roosting sanctuaries say the Monarchs have not arrived yet. Officials at the largest sanctuary, Zitacuaro’s El Rosario, announced last week  the preserve will open to visitors on November 12. 
A quick check of Twitter search has Monarchs spotted in Monterrey and Saltillo, Mexico, including the photo above snapped by Paulina Marquez of Juarez and sent via Twitpic. With a cold front blowing winds of 30 mph through Texas and knocking temperatures down into the 40s this evening, our neighbors to the South should see a blast of Monarch butterflies over the next few days.
Twitter: Monarch butterflies arrive in MexicoHere’s several translated tweets:
“Wow, impressive the quantity of Monarch butterflies crossing here.” –Veronica Sanchez, Monterrey.
Is it Monarch butterfly season or something?  There’s so many in the UDEM (University of Monterrey).”–Lillian Martinez, Monterrey.
“Just like every year, the Monarch butterfly honors us with their presence in Saltillo.  We appreciate their beauty and please, don’t harm them.”–Edgar Martinez, Saltillo, Coahuila.
Twitter’s realtime search has helped citizens worldwide track the Arab spring and news like the death of Osama bin Laden.  It makes perfect sense that citizen scientists would use the new media tool to track the Monarch migration.
To track the migration in realtime, try these two Twitter searches:
1. Mariposa monarca (in Spanish)
2. Monarch butterfly migration (in English)