Monarch Migration Counts
MONARCH BUTTERFLY, 2020
Just reported: The Monarch Butterfly will not be designated as an endangered species.
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 July 28 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 sooner when I see the first directional flight of the fourth generation heading to Mexico).
July 29 to July 31 0 (The 3rd generation of monarchs are quickly expiring).
August 01-07 2 (A very bright orange female monarch was observed on August 2nd followed by a very bright orange male on August 7. The 4th generation may now be emerging from their chrysalides. No directional flights as yet. I will now count all bright orange monarchs until the end of fall).
August 08-13 28 (Migration started on August 14th with 4 monarchs in directional flight).
Total: 164 (Total Spring and Summer - 172).
Monarch Butterfly Fall Observations In And Around The Town Of Harrisville.
Date Counted Tagged
August 14-20 98 0
August 21-31 361 0
September 01-07 413 3
September 08-14 71 10
September 15-21 69 5
September 22-30 38 2
October 01-07 26 0
October 08-14 14 4 ...Last wild monarch on Oct. 13...
October 15-21 0 0 ...Below Average Temperatures...
October 22-28 1 1 ...Reared and released on Oct. 28.
October 29-November 04 0 0 ...One inch of snow November 01.
November 05-11 0 0..Well above average temperatures.
Total: 1,091 25
Total Spring & Summer: 172 0
Total for the year 2020: 1,263 25
Hours spent observing, counting, and tagging monarchs was 228 hours over 191 days with the average of 5.5 monarchs per hour for the season of 2020. Last year, which was the best year for monarchs since record keeping began in 2010, hours spent observing, counting, and tagging was 237 hours over 192 days with the average of 22.2 monarchs per hour! Frank A.
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.
MONARCH BUTTERFLY POPULATION IN THE WEST
JUST REPORTED! The monarch population as been counted for California for 2020. The largest wintering site at Pismo Beach had just 200, yes-200 monarchs, which is down from 6,700 in 2019! Just five years ago, it was 293,000! The whole population of monarchs at 246 sites in California has fallen to just 1,914. Last year it was 29,418 at 243 sites.
In the 1980's, there were around 4.5 million monarchs at the sanctuaries in California.
Although the State of Alaska isn't known for monarch butterflies, one specimen has been collected in Hyder, Alaska. This town is in the southeast corner of the state. See picture of Hyder and map with the red dot.
HYDER, ALASKA
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NEW OVERWINTERING SITE LOCATED!
Citizen Scientists tagging monarchs along the Salt River in Phoenix, Arizona, have observed the same tagged monarchs later in the winter. The total count was just 20, but that was a sample to see if they were tagged elsewhere. More study is still needed to see what the population is at this new overwinter site. Other overwintering sites dicovered the last few years are Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
As of July 15th, 2020, there are now over 29,000 Waystations across the United States!
My new Monarch Butterfly Waystation #4357, July 15th, 2016. Eighty-four monarchs visited this garden September through October, 2017. Many Honey Bees, too!
Eight monarchs visiting my waystation in late August, 2017.
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Monarch Butterfly on Joe-pye-weed at my waystation in the middle of August, 2018.
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Monarch Butterfly on just blooming Joe-pye-weed in my waystation early August, 2019.
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My Monarch Butterfly Waystation five years later on August 16th, 2020. I decided to plant Joe-pye-weed as the main nectar source for migrating monarchs. Do you see the monarch?
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 Harrisville, Michigan.
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.
NEWS FROM THE SANCTURIES
Cerro Pelon
Sanctuary Guardian Emilio Velazquez spotted 13 monarchs flying high overhead at Cerro Pelon Preserve from 1:35-2:05 PM on October 23, 2020. These are the first arrivals at the Central Mexican overwintering grounds. See map above for the location of the sanctuary.
Massive arrival of monarchs near El Rosario, Mexico, on October 26th. This is one week earlier than normal. Photo by Estela Romero.
At the Cerro Pelon Preserve, the monarchs formed three colonies instead of one as they have in past years. Number one colony formed October 28th. The second colony formed November 3rd. The third colony formed November 7th. The colonies are lower in elevation, too. On December 13th, the monarch colony at La Lagunita suddenly dispersed and went elsewhere. Photo by Ellen Sharp.
Hanging clusters of monarchs at Cerro Pelon Sanctuary January, 2021. Photo by Pato Moreno. Click picture.
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At Cerro Pelon, the monarchs are tightly hugging the trees at lower elevations. Photo by Pat Moreno.
Casualties at the Cerro Pelon Sanctuary January, 2021. Photo by Pato Moreno. Click picture.
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Monarchs in clusters at the Sierra Chincua Sanctuary. Photo by Estela Romero.
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Monarchs in clusters at the El Rosario Sanctuary. Photo by Estela Romero.
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FIRST TAG OF THE 2020-2021 SEASON RECOREVED IN MEXICO
The tag was found on a leaf on the ground at the Cerro Pelon Sancturary in Mexico. Records show that it fell off a male monarch that was tagged and released by a school child in Austin, Minnesota. The monarch flew 2,016 miles in 85 days! Photo by Pat Moreno.
