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  Harrisville Nature Club
Harrisville Nature Club

Harrisville State Park Beach and Swimming Area.
​Please tap on pictures to enlarge.

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This is where Frank counts the monarchs overhead as they migrate south to Mexico in September. The location is at the main pavilion near the beach (far left in picture). You are looking NW where the monarchs come into view overhead. Lake Huron would be behind you. Frank stands at the brown sign that is far right in the picture.
                                             MONARCH BUTTERFLY COUNT SPRING, 2022

Spring counts are conducted April 30th to May 31st. The sightings are listed below for each of these seasons.

       Year                         Number counted                  Year                     Number counted
       2010                                   0                             2020                               8
       2011                                   2                             2021                               7
       2012                                   6                             2022                               3
       2013                                   0                             2023
       2014                                   1
       2015                                   1
       2016                                   0
       2017                                   1
       2018                                   3
       2019                                   1
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Begin to look for monarchs in the month of May on lawns with dandelions.
  

​                                            MONARCH BUTTERFLY COUNT SUMMER, 2022


Summer counts are conducted June 1st to August 14th. I record monarchs on about 200 acres of habitat in and around Harrisville at least every other day. The sightings are listed below for each of these seasons.
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     Year                          Number counted                                      Notes
    2010                                     4                      Cool summer. 96 million monarchs in Mexico.
    2011                                     1                      Warm summer. 201 million monarchs in Mexico.
    2012                                     1                      Drought beginning. 145 million monarchs in Mexico.
    2013                                     4                      Drought year. 60 million monarchs in Mexico.
    2014                                    35                     Conditions improving. 34 million monarchs in Mexico. 
    2015                                    28                     Most drought in eastern US ended. 57 million monarchs in                                                                               Mexico.
    2016                                     6                      Cool Spring and very wet summer. 201 million monarchs in                                                                            Mexico. 
    2017                                    60                     Very good weather conditions across eastern US. 146 million                                                                           monarchs in Mexico.
    2018                                  158                     Excellent weather throughout the south for egg laying.
                                                                       124 million monarchs in Mexico.
​    2019                                  253                     Another excellent weather throughout the southern states.
                                                                       302 million monarchs in Mexico.
​    2020                                  164                    Good weather in Mexico. Monarchs leaving one month early.                                                                           151 million monarchs in Mexico. Additional note Autumn:                                                                               monarchs entered Mexico on September 26th, which is                                                                                   five weeks earlier than normal.
    2021                                  610                    Good weather in Mexico, but drier conditions from last year.                                                                            109 million monarchs in Mexico. A 26% decline from last year.
                                                                      The monarchs left Mexico on March 5th and entered Texas on                                                                          March 11th. Note: Some monarchs are leaving Michigan 20                                                                            days earlier than normal for Mexico. They began migrating on                                                                          July 26th. The normal date is usually August 15th. I did not                                                                            count the monarchs migrating July 26 to August 14 in my                                                                                summer count.
   2022                                     77                   Good weather in Mexico, but even drier than last year. There a                                                                        are 140 million monarchs in Mexico: 40% higher than last                                                                              year, and 34% higher than two years ago. Monarchs left                                                                                  Mexico on March 10th and entered Texas on March 15th. First                                                                          monarch sighted at Shelby Twp near Detroit on May 9th. First                                                                          monarch sighted in Harrisville was May 13th. It has been a                                                                              cooler than normal month of May. June was warm with a low of                                                                        37F., and a high of 96F. July was hot and dry with an unofficial                                                                        high of 98F. on July 23rd. Spring and Summer monarch                                                                                  numbers are down 87% from last year.
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                                                       FALL AUGUST MIGRATION 2022
​Generally, monarch migration begins with directional flights on August 15th in the Harrisville area, although one was observed high overhead on August 11, 2015 and August 11, 2022. Most migrate in a southwesterly direction on northwest winds. However, a new record was set when 11 monarchs were observed in directional flight on July 26th, 2021. This is the earliest date ever recorded in lower Michigan since record keeping began by wildlife organizations beginning in 1992. 
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No new records were set for August since record keeping began in 2010. The one hour count still stands at 149 set August 22, 2018. This year it was 27 on August 26. The one day count still stands at 1,016 set August 22, 2018. This year it was 68 on August 26. The two day count still stands at 417 set August 30-31, 2019. This year it was 70 on August 26-27. The seven day count still stands at 470 set August 24-30, 2019. This year it was 125 on August 25-31. And finally, the one month count still stands at 1,524 set in 2018. This year it was 246.
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                                                    FALL SEPTEMBER MIGRATION 2022
No new records were set since record keeping began in 2010 in and around the town of Harrisville. The one hour count still stands at 336 on September 26, 2019. This year it was 11 on September 19. The one day count still stands at 1,301 on September 26, 2019. This year it was 172 on September 19. The two day count still stands at 1,129 set on September 27-28, 2017. This year it was 6 on September 11-12. The seven day count still stands at 2,843 on September 22-28, 2019. This year it was 177 on September 13-19. Finally, the September count still stands at 3,892 set in 2019. This year it was 193. 
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                                                    FALL OCTOBER MIGRATION 2021                                                    
No new records were set since 2010 for October migration in and around the town of Harrisville. The one hour count still stands at 55 set in 2011. This year it was 5 on October 14. The one day count still stands at 286 set in 2011. This year it was 8 on October 19. The the two day count still stands at 497 set on October 6-7, 2019. This year is was 10 on October 19-20.  A seven day count still stands at 596 set on October 01-07, 2019. This year it was 18 on October 14-20. The latest high number of monarchs in October still stands at 12 on October 20, 2019. This year it was 8 on October 19.  Finally, the record of 645 monarchs that were counted for the month of October, 2019, still stands. This year it was 23.

                                                 FALL NOVEMBER MIGRATION 2021
The one hour count stands at 2 from 1:05-1:20 PM on November 04, 2015. The one day count stands at 2 on the same date. The two day count stands at 3 on November 03-04, 2015. The seven day count stands at 3 on November 01-07, 2015.  The month of November count stands at 3 set in 2015. And finally, other participants observed one monarch each on November 08, and November 28, 2017 (this could be the latest monarch ever recorded in Michigan). I also observed a monarch on November 02, 2011, November 03, 2011, November 07, 2017, and November 01, 2021. This gives a total of 9 monarchs counted in November since record keeping began in 2010.
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                                                          SEASON SUMMARY
First monarch observed in Harrisville was on May 13, 2022 at 4:11 PM . Last wild monarch observed in Harrisville was on November 01, 2021. Last reared monarch tagged and released was on October 28th, 2020.  Total for the year 2021 was 1,144 counted. Total for the year 2020 was 1,263 monarchs counted. From April 30th to October 28th, 2019, monarchs counted came out to 5,283. This record still stands since record keeping began in 2010. The last five years have had over 1,000 monarchs observed. Otherwise, the average had been 556 a year. My 13 year total has reached 16,735 monarchs counted for the Harrisville area!
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Tag ACWM-424 attached to a male monarch on November 01, 2021.
Please tap on pictures to enlarge.

Monarch Butterfly Presentation and Tagging August 28th, 2021
​This event was cancelled again.  However, there were thunderstorms about, so I decided to watch monarchs migrating through my flower garden, not far from the park, and observed 4 monarchs on my Joe-pye-weed plants from 5 to 6 PM before a thunderstorm roared through. I will not be presenting and tagging at the park beginning in 2022, because I will not be raising monarchs. However, I will be counting monarchs on a NW or WNW winds on the beach at the main pavilion during the month of September from 11 AM to 2 PM.

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Monarch Butterfly Presentation and Tagging August 29th, 2020
​Because of the Covid-19 situation, the event was cancelled. However, a migration count was taken on northwest winds with 146 monarchs observed flying south down the beach.  
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Monarchs migrating south down the beach on August 29th, 2020.

Monarch Butterfly Presentation and Tagging August 31st, 2019

 Monarch Butterfly Presentation & Tagging August 25, 2018

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 26th, 2017

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Six monarchs about to be tagged.
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Tagging a monarch.
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Placing a tag on the Discal Scale.
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Yes, the tag goes right there!

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 27th, 2016

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Northern most monarch sighting.
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She did it!
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Tagging a monarch.
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Monarch on it's way.

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 29th, 2015

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Six monarchs ready to tag.
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Placing the monarchs into the car.
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Arriving at the park and setting up.
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First tagged monarch to be released.
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Second tagged monarch to be released.
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Tagging number three.
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Tagging number four.
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Releasing number four.
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Tagging number five while a couple look at number four that flew into the pines.
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Number six with tag being released.

 Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 30th, 2014

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 31st, 2013

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THERE WAS A VERY BAD DROUGHT YEAR IN 2013. THE VERNAL POOLS WERE ALL DRIED UP ALONG THE LAKESHORE. I COULD NOT RAISE OR CAPTURE MONARCHS. SO, FOR THE PRESENTATION, I SPOKE ABOUT THE MONARCH MIGRATION AND SHOWED SOME OTHER SPECIES OF BUTTERFLIES SHOWN BELOW THAT I HAD NETTED EARLIER IN THE DAY.
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The presentation.
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Six-spotted Purple Butterfly
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American Painted Lady
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Red Admiral

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 25th, 2012

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A sunny day!
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Getting ready for presentation.
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Passing around a monarch bookmark.
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No! You hold it this way!
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My hostess Kay at Lot #2.
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A tagged monarch.

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 27th, 2011

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Beginning of presentation.
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Taking questions from the audience.
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Explaining the monarch migration north in the spring.
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Explaining the monarch migration south in the fall.

Monarch Presentation at Harrisville State Park, Saturday, August 28th, 2010

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Monarchs ready to be tagged.
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First monarch to be tagged.
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See how I tag a monarch.
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All done!
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Now see if you can do it.
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You did it!
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Now let your sister release it!
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Good job!
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