Monarch Archive

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MONARCH BUTTERFLY COUNT SPRING, 2021

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
2013 0
2014 1
2015 1
2016 0
2017 1
2018 3
2019 1

Begin to look for monarchs in the month of May on lawns with dandelions.

   MONARCH BUTTERFLY COUNT SUMMER, 2021

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.

   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 monarch 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: Some 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.

FALL MIGRATION 2021
Generally, monarch migration begins with directional flights on August 15th in the Harrisville area, although one was observed high overhead on August 11, 2015. 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.

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 9 on August 02. The one day count still stands at 1,016 set August 22, 2018. This year it was 36 on August 02. The two day count still stands at 417 set August 30-31, 2019. This year it was 41 on August 1-2. The seven day count still stands at 470 set August 24-30, 2019. This year it was 46 on August 25-31. And finally, the one month count still stands at 1,524 set in 2018. This year it was 199.

FALL SEPTEMBER MIGRATION 2020
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 129 on September 07. The one day count still stands at 1,301 on September 26, 2019. This year it was 359 on September 7th. The two day count still stands at 1,129 set on September 27-28, 2017. This year it was 361 on September 06-07. The seven day count still stands at 2,843 on September 22-28, 2019. This year it was 413 on September 01-07. Finally, the September count still stands at 3,892 set in 2019. This year it was 590.

FALL OCTOBER MIGRATION 2020
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 8 on October 01. The one day count still stands at 286 set in 2011. This year it was 17 on October 01. The the two day count still stands at 497 set on October 6-7, 2019. This year is was 9 on October 6-7. A seven day count still stands at 596 set on October 01-07, 2019. This year it was 26 on October 01-07. The latest high number of monarchs in October still stands at 12 on October 20, 2019. This year it was 5 on October 06. Finally, the record of 645 monarchs that were counted for the month of October, 2019, still stands. This year it was 41.

FALL NOVEMBER MIGRATION 2020
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, and November 03, 2011. This gives a total of 7 monarchs counted in November since record keeping began in 2010.

SEASON SUMMARY
First monarch observed in Harrisville was on May 26th. Last wild monarch observed in Harrisville was on October 13th. Last reared monarch tagged and released was on October 28th. Total for the year was 1,263 monarchs counted. Last year, 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 four years have had over 1,000 monarchs observed. Otherwise, the average had been 556 a year. My 11 year total has reached 15,196 monarchs counted for the Harrisville area!

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.

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

Six monarchs about to be tagged.

Tagging a monarch.

Placing a tag on the Discal Scale.

Yes, the tag goes right there!

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

Northern most monarch sighting.

She did it!

Tagging a monarch.

Monarch on it's way.

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

Six monarchs ready to tag.

Placing the monarchs into the car.

Arriving at the park and setting up.

First tagged monarch to be released.

Second tagged monarch to be released.

Tagging number three.

Tagging number four.

Releasing number four.

Tagging number five while a couple look at number four that flew into the pines.

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

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.