September Monarch Migration Counts at Harrisville State Park
Frank will take counts when COLD FRONTS come down from Canada on NORTHWEST WINDS. Meet at the flagpole on the beach near the main pavilion from 10 AM to 3 PM. Black flies can be a bother, so dress accordingly. You may also want to bring a lawn chair. Don't be surprised if a monarch butterfly lands on you to rest!
MONARCH BUTTERFLY, 2020
Monarch Butterfly Spring Observations In And Around The Town of Harrisville.
Date Counted
April 24-30 0
May 01-07 0
May 08-14 0
May 15-21 0
May 22-31 8
Total: 08
Monarch Butterfly Summer Observations In And Around The Town of Harrisville.
Date Counted
June 01-07 19
June 08-14 0 ...Tropic Depression Cristobal...
June 15-21 9
June 22-30 2
Numbers are going down as the 2nd generation expires and the 3rd generation emerges.
July 01-07 39
July 08-14 65
July 15 to August 14 0 (I don't want to duplicate counting the recent monarchs that have emerged in and around Harrisville. I will continue with the count on August 15 or so when I see the first directional flight of the fourth generation heading to Mexico).
Total: 134
Monarch Butterfly Fall Observations In And Around The Town Of Harrisville.
Date Counted Tagged
August 15-23
August 24-31
September 01-07
September 08-14
September 15-21
September 22-30
October 01-07
October 08-14
October 15-23
October 24-31
November 01-07
Total:
Monarch Butterfly egg on Common Milkweed leaf. So small!
Newly formed chrysalis
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Monarch Butterfly Larva
Monarch about to emerged from chrysalis
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What sanctuary do monarchs prefer? Click picture to enlarge.
The 2019-2020 monarch estimate of numbers at the wintering sites in Mexico are down from last year from 305 million to 151 million. Michigan and Ohio had the best numbers observed in over 10 years, and led the nation in monarch production this past summer. The total area occupied by monarch colonies will fall from 6.05 hectares to 2.83 hectares this year.
The reasons for the low numbers is loss egg distribution in March and April of last year with later recolonization of the upper Midwest. Low monarch production was observed in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin which usually has the largest percentage of the states. As noted above, Michigan and Ohio were the top reproduction areas. Also, late migration of monarchs in the northeastern states caused the monarchs to perish in the cold.
MONARCH BUTTERFLY POPULATION IN THE WEST
The numbers are in for the 2019 western monarch count. There was a slight increase to 29,418 from the 27,218 counted in 2018. This is still far below the 2 million mark in the 1980's.
My Monarch Butterfly Waystation #4357, July 15th, 2016. Eighty-four monarchs visited this garden September through October, 2017. Many Honey Bees, too!
As of July 15th, 2020, there are now over 29,000 Waystations across the United States!
Eight monarchs visiting my waystation in September, 2017.
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Monarch Butterfly on Joe-pye-weed in my waystation late August, 2017.
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ALYSSA LARA OF ALPENA, MICHIGAN, AGE 8, TAGGED (UCS 810) A MALE MONARCH REARED BY ME IN HARRISVILLE ON AUGUST 30, 2015, AND IT WAS RECOVERED IN EL ROSARIO, MEXICO ON MARCH 6, 2016. THIS BUTTERFLY FLEW 2,173 MILES! THIS IS THE FIRST TAGGED MONARCH TO BE FOUND IN MEXICO FROM HARRISVILLE, MICHIGAN. SEE PICTURE OF THE MOUNTAIN BELOW.
Main migration flyways to Mexico start about August 15th from Canada.
This is where Alyssa's monarch was found!
Right photograph: A female monarch on the beach at Harrisville State Park November 03, 2011 (48F.) I have also observed one monarch on November 02, 2011 (59F.), one monarch on November 03, 2015 (62F.), two monarchs on November 04, 2015 (68F.), and one male monarch on November 07, 2017 (40F.) seen at right on marigold flower. Monarchs can appear when you least expect it.
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FRANK APSEY OF HARRISVILLE, MICHIGAN, TAGGED (YGN 925) A FEMALE MONARCH NETTED ON THE BEACH AT HARRISVILLE STATE PARK ON AUGUST 18, 2018 (ON HIS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY)!
THE MONARCH WAS RECOVERED AT EL ROSARIO, MEXICO, IN MARCH OF 2019. THIS BUTTERFLY FLEW 2,174 MILES! THIS IS THE SECOND TAGGED MONARCH TO BE FOUND IN MEXICO FROM HARRISVILLE, MICHIGAN, SINCE 2010. SEE MAP BELOW FOR THE LOCATION OF EL ROSARIO.
THE MONARCH WAS RECOVERED AT EL ROSARIO, MEXICO, IN MARCH OF 2019. THIS BUTTERFLY FLEW 2,174 MILES! THIS IS THE SECOND TAGGED MONARCH TO BE FOUND IN MEXICO FROM HARRISVILLE, MICHIGAN, SINCE 2010. SEE MAP BELOW FOR THE LOCATION OF EL ROSARIO.
