Reminder - Please Report Milkweed and Monarch Sightings to Journey North

20 views
Skip to first unread message

donald...@gmail.com

unread,
Apr 30, 2026, 9:16:39 AMApr 30
to Ontario Butterflies
Journey North program is now a component of Monarch Joint Venture and Jacob is doing a great job having revised and greatly improving the new website. Please report your first milkweed and monarch sightings to Journey North, as well as first sightings of other target species. Milkweed has been report up in Oshawa. 

https://journeynorth.org/

There are three Ontario monarch sightings which have been posted on the Journey North Monarch (FIRST sighted) map which are questionable. However the Detroit area sighting is documented with a photo. 

https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=monarch-adult-first&year=2026&season=spring

I was involved in the founding of the monarch component of Journey North over 30 years ago with Elizabeth Howard. The number of spring monarch reports this year is considerably greater than in 2025. 

No recoveries reported from my Fall 2025 Monarch Watch tagging but the person who travels to Mexico to purchase tags was unable to go at the last minute. So...only about 300 tags from Central Mexico were recovered. Still hoping for recoveries when the database for Domestic Recoveries (Canada, U.S.A., and Mexico) is updated and posted. 

Thanks to those who financial support the Monarch Butterfly Fund program: 

https://monarchconservation.org/

Don Davis, Toronto, ON

Carolyn King

unread,
May 1, 2026, 1:46:34 AMMay 1
to donald...@gmail.com, Ontario Butterflies
Hi Don,
Yes, I saw the Monarch photographed on the Michigan side of Lake St. Clair on the Journey North map today.  She was laying eggs, so that was also a "first egg" sighting.  It's still early, so I'm sure that we should get a reliable Ontario sighting soon.
It makes sense that the monarchs should be early this spring.  There have been quite a few Red Admirals seen, starting in mid April or possibly earlier.  American Ladies, too.
I really like the Journey North first sighting reports.  Besides Monarchs, the ones for Hummingbirds and Orioles.
Cheers,
Carolyn King

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ontario Butterflies" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to onbutterflie...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/onbutterflies/10b658ed-169c-4758-bfda-00f949528473n%40googlegroups.com.

Donald Davis

unread,
May 17, 2026, 6:44:56 PMMay 17
to Carolyn King, Ontario Butterflies
Two more monarchs confirmed with photographs in Ontario - May 16th at Goderich and May 17th at Georgian Bluffs. Other sightings also noted on the Journey North "Monarch Adult - FIRST Sighted" map: 

https://maps.journeynorth.org/map/?map=monarch-adult-first&year=2026&season=spring


Don Davis

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

butterfly animation



Steve Pike

unread,
May 19, 2026, 2:42:02 PMMay 19
to Donald Davis, Carolyn King, Ontario Butterflies
On April 22nd I had a monarch flying north at the tip Pelee, was wondering if it was perhaps record early and Bob Yukich was able to look this up for me…

Steve, there are 8 earlier records of Monarch in the province including one at Pelee on April 12, 1986. There is also one on April 12, 1968 from Kitchener.

Cheers,
Steve 
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to onbutterflies+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ontario Butterflies" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to onbutterflies+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Ontario Butterflies" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to onbutterflies+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/onbutterflies/1264153651.2784584.1779057889047%40mail.yahoo.com.
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages