Low Numbers of Migrant Butterfly Species?

[donald...@gmail.com]

In speaking with Cherie at  Pelee Island Butterfly Sanctuary and Teaching Garden about monarchs and butterflies, she reports that at this time of year she usually has about 270 Red Admirals and a few dozen American Ladies. So far this year, 1 Red Admiral. Cherie also reporting the absence of bees and is wondering if pesticides and herbicides are a factor. North of Pelee Island on the mainland, Essex County has a vast agricultural industry in both fields and huge greenhouses. The other possibility is that these migrations are late. 

https://www.peleeislandbutterfly.org/

What have been your observations?

[Donald Davis]

Thanks for sharing your monarch sighting. I encourage everyone to report their first Monarch sighting as well as first egg and caterpillar to Journey North and Mission Monarch. I believe the Monarch Blitz will be taking place again this year. 

On Mon, Jun 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM Ann Brokelman <abrok...@gmail.com> wrote:

I saw my first monarch butterfly on the bluffs 2 days ago. 

Ann

--
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/6d07c41e-d4f4-4637-abd8-30b872abba0fn%40googlegroups.com.

--

Don Davis

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

[donald...@gmail.com]

Chip Taylor from Monarch Watch in Lawrence, Kansas writes: "I saw my first red admiral today at Monarch Watch. The RAs overwinter in TX and their numbers each year are determined by winter and early spring conditions. Freezes kill both the butterflies and plants and low soil moisture (drought) limits the growth of false nettle which is the main host plant.  All of that happened this winter and early spring and RAs and many other butterflies that originate from TX each spring are missing or extremely low this year. "

[Howard Herscovitch]

I saw my first monarch last week in German Mills Park and nothing since. I've seen 2 red admirals in Bestview Park and 1 in German Mills but that's it. The milkweed in German Mills is very plentiful and should be blooming well before the end of June so hopefully the monarch numbers there should increase. Incidentally, mourning cloaks, which first appear in Bestview Park in late March or early April and then become scarce until the summer generation emerges, never decreased in numbers this year; I was there today and saw several MC's, including a couple of very fresh ones.

--

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/f7f11749-bee6-4ad2-bec6-35cd2b5f3a95n%40googlegroups.com.

--

http://www.oocities.com/hnhersco

[HowieH]

I tried to start a new conversation but it didn't work, so... I just had my first monarch, definitely a female, poking around the milkweed on my front lawn. Unfortunately it did not stop long enough for photos and, so far, I can't find any eggs but I will keep looking. My coordinates in north Toronto are (43.8035, -79.3818). Sighting was at 12:20pm, light breeze, temp 20C.

[Donald Davis]

My first monarch today west of Port Hope in a large agricultural field. Also found 6 eggs on young tender milkweeds. Spicebush Swallowtail photographed near Port Hope. 

Don Davis

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/onbutterflies/3a7a5cdc-b12c-4bbe-a1c8-b596d43d4ca0n%40googlegroups.com

.