Monarch butterflies see summer increase

HOLDEN – This summer, monarch butterflies and their caterpillars are abundant. For many years, they have been rare or even absent here despite ample milkweed, the plant it depends on. Dire news about monarch numbers in their Mexican wintering areas kept coming north, instead of the butterflies themselves.

Last week, a child noticed a plump monarch caterpillar in milkweed plants at the entrance of the Fields Pond Audubon Center building. She asked an Audubon volunteer naturalist if she could take it home.

The volunteer, who has a wonderful way with children, said, “At the Fields Pond Audubon Center, instead of taking them home, we watch them and let them be wild.” As they watched together, the caterpillar defecated.

“Can I keep the poop?” asked the child. “Yes, I guess that would be all right,” said the naturalist with a smile. “Insect poop is called ‘frass.'” And the child carried her souvenir frass happily and carefully home, nestled on a leaf.

Recently, Audubon volunteer butterfly watchers were asked whether the splendid resurgence of monarch butterflies is a local or widespread phenomenon.

Pat Snyder, North American Butterfly Association compiler for the Fields Pond and Lower Penobscot butterfly counts, said, “This is, indeed, a big year for monarch butterflies. Even patches of milkweed in roadway medians at busy intersections have monarchs in them.

“We went to Maine Audubon’s Hog Island Sanctuary near Damariscotta in mid-July,” Snyder said. “The 1-acre field was filled with monarchs, feasting on an assortment of nectar flowers. Here at Stockton Springs harbor, we have milkweed and other wild flowers along the high tide line. The monarchs have been here through July and into August.”

Gail Everett, who has been a butterfly watcher for many years, said, “I’ve been monitoring the monarchs closely this year. The astonishing thing to me is that throughout the entire summer, since the monarchs first arrived in mid-June, every single clump of milkweed that could reasonably attract the butterflies at all has proved to have caterpillars, eggs or adults in residence.

“This is without exception, in every county, every single one of the dozens of sites I’ve visited over the past two months,” she said. “Frankly, I don’t remember this kind of abundance even back in the days before the migration became so fragile.”

Dick Dearborn, the president of Maine Entomological Society and formerly Maine state entomologist, said that on his property, in a field of about an acre, he counted about 100 caterpillars. He sees so many adults every day that he can’t count them. He agrees that it’s at least a 10-year high for monarchs.

Those interested in an Audubon field trip Sunday, Sept. 10, to the coast to observe the butterfly migration may call the Fields Pond Audubon Center at 989-2591.