For years we've been hearing about the fabulous fall migration of monarch butterflies at Tawas Point.
During the past several Septembers, AuSable Valley Audubon members have gathered here and tagged a half dozen monarchs or so in hopes of playing a minor research role in the monitoring of this eastern population as it wings its way to Mexico for the winter. Those tagged in the late fall will make the entire journey to their southern destination, while it takes several generations to make the return trip in the spring. Western region breeding monarchs tend to head to California and gather in large groups there.
Back in April, an article in the Detroit Free Press, entitled "Michigan's Missing Monarchs" mentioned the disastrous spring storms and floods in Michoacan, Mexico that killed nearly half of the population that normally returns to our region. Therefore, tagging at the Point this year would probably be a lost cause.
The wet warm summer seemed to produce an abundance of milkweed - the only plant monarch caterpillars feed on - plus, the road commission did very little cutting along the roadsides which allowed more of these plants to survive. About mid August, several Audubon friends mentioned the unusual number of adult monarchs they were seeing in their yards, along highways and at natural areas such as Tawas Point. Now regretting the fact that they had decided not to tag this year because of the predictions of low monarch numbers. From all observations though, it appeared that this species was bouncing back despite the early spring fatalities.
references: peggy ridgway, iosco news
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