A monarch butterfly originating from Manitoulin Island, Ontario, has gained fame in the local community after completing a remarkable migration across North America, culminating in Mexico this month.
Covering over 3,300 kilometers in a span of 70 days, this stunning butterfly accomplished what scientists once deemed impossible: navigating across two Great Lakes.
The young female, designated as MAN26021, was one of many tagged by researchers from Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Federation in late August on Manitoulin Island.
This tagging was part of a research project aimed at studying the migratory habits and flight behaviors of these butterflies.
Tags affixed to their thorax sent data through solar-powered radio transmitters.
A monarch butterfly tagged with a solar-powered radio transmitter, a tiny device weighing less than a grain of rice. (Manitoulin Nature Club)
Joe Shorthouse, a retired entomologist from Laurentian University and a seasoned butterfly researcher, stated that he and his team were able to monitor MAN26021 using the Project Monarch app.
This butterfly, which weighed approximately as much as a paper clip, flew over both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan before making its way through the U.S. to the Reserva de la Biosfera Mariposa Monarca, the overwintering site located about 100 kilometers northwest of Mexico City.
Shorthouse described it as an extraordinary success story in the natural world.
“For the first time ever, we have learned that they can fly across the Great Lakes,” he remarked. “This revelation has surprised everyone.”
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During its 10-week trek, the butterfly successfully avoided many of the hazards that typically threaten monarchs, such as vehicles and adverse weather, Shorthouse pointed out.
When considering the added challenge of flying over two Great Lakes, the likelihood of achieving this feat becomes even more astonishing, he added.
“This represents one of the most intriguing and complex stories that we still do not fully comprehend. How can it travel such distances, and how does it know its destination?”
The Manitoulin Nature Club, celebrating 47 years of activity on the island, expressed its pride in being the starting point for this butterfly’s epic journey.
Phyllis Cacciotti, president of the club, emphasized that this achievement highlights the remarkable power of nature, even in its smallest creatures.
“It’s incredibly inspiring. They’re warriors,” she stated.
“We are very fortunate on Manitoulin Island to have such rich biodiversity, and it is crucial that we protect and preserve it for generations to come.”
Monarch butterflies were measured and tagged on Manitoulin Island over the summer before journeying towards Mexico for the winter. (Manitoulin Nature Club)
The Manitoulin butterfly is now among thousands that are settling in for winter in the oyamel fir trees found in the mountains of Mexico.
Shorthouse expressed hopes that this notable butterfly will mate in the spring and journey as far north as Texas to lay her eggs before passing away.
However, her legacy will continue.
The offspring of this butterfly are expected to travel northward, potentially reaching the northern U.S. states, before repeating the migration cycle.
“It will be the grandchildren of MAN26021 that we’ll see along the shores of Manitoulin Island in May of 2027.”