Monitoring Partners

The USA-NPN has established monitoring partnerships with several organizations. Through these partnerships, we are increasing the amount of information being collected for both the USA-NPN and the partner efforts. The phenology database managed by the USA-NPN serves as the “home” for phenology observations for several partner organizations.

Participants in NPN partner projects are invited to monitor plant phenology. If you are a member of one of the following organizations, be sure to follow the observation protocols specific to your network. Partner protocols are listed on plant profile pages.

The Great Sunflower Project

Great Sunflower Project (GSP) observers are documenting the life cycle events of sunflowers (Helianthus annuus ‘Lemon Queen’) planted from seeds. Seeds can be requested from the Great Sunflower Project website.

GSP observers will follow this protocol for monitoring sunflowers:

Record the date you plant your sunflower seeds. If you are observing plants that you planted last year, you will only need to note that you planted the seeds in 2008.
Once the plants begin to appear above ground, select an individual plant to monitor.
Record the date you see at least one young leaf on the plant completely unfolded from the stem.
Record the date you see the first flower completely open.
Record the date you see the last fresh flower open.
Record the date you see ripe seeds, when seeds are dark in color and hard.
Record the date that all leaves on the plant are dried and dead.

For more information, see the common sunflower (Helianthus annuus) page. For 2009, all GSP sunflower observations will be submitted on GreatSunflower.org.

HoneyBeeNet

Participants in HoneyBeeNet (HBN) are documenting the life cycle events of key nectar plants. For a list of plants being monitored for their value as nectar plants, visit the Select a Plant page and select 'HoneyBeeNet' as a partner.

HBN observers are recording the onset, peak and cessation of flowering in nectar plants. For more information, see the plant profile pages for HBN plants.

Monarch Watch

Monarch Watch (MW) observers are collecting life cycle events of key nectar plants for monarch and other butterflies. For a list of plants being monitored as monarch plants, visit the Select a Plant page and select 'Monarch Watch' as a partner.

MW observers are recording several flowering phenophases for milkweed (Asclepias) species:

Emerging growth
New bright green growth of the plant is visible above the soil surface, either from aboveground buds with green tips, or new green or white shoots breaking through the soil surface. Growth is considered "emerging" until the first leaf has fully unfolded from that bud or shoot. More...
First flower bud*
In at least one location on the plant, an unopened flower bud is visible.
Open flowers
In at least one location on the plant, an open fresh flower is visible. Flowers are considered "open" when the reproductive parts are visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include spent (wilted) flowers that remain on the plant.
First fruit*
At least one visible seed pod, appearing as an elongation at the base of the flower.
Ripe fruits
In at least one location on the plant, a ripe fruit is visible. Seed pod splits open and seeds are visible within.

At this time, the USA-NPN data entry page cannot ingest starred (*) records. If you are recording phenology of milkweed (Asclepias) species for Monarch Watch, please record these events on your datasheet; data entry capabilities should be available within the year.

The onset of flowering (open flowers) is also being recorded for several other plants important to monarch butterflies. Visit the species profile pages for Monarch Watch plants for specific monitoring details.

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