Those Beautiful Monarchs in Michigan Are About to Disappear

I can't even begin to count the number of Monarchs I saw on a recent trip "Up North". Being an annual stop along their migration trail is just one of the many reason we love Pure Michigan.

But there was also something bittersweet about it, knowing that before long, they’ll leave Michigan behind and begin their long journey south.

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Michigan's Monarchs Are Here Now But Not For Much Longer

I was up visiting Pentwater, Michigan, just south of Ludington this past weekend, and it was such a rush of pure joy every time I spotted yet another monarch butterfly. You would think that after seeing so many, the excitement would eventually wear off. But it didn't. Every single monarch still made me stop and smile.

There’s just something so magical and innocent about watching those tiny orange-and-black wings dance on the breeze.

Each year as the monarchs prepare for their journey back home to Mexico from Canada, they make a pit stop in northern Michigan. That 3,000 mile trip takes a lot out of a butterfly-- it's no wonder they need a break!

Every autumn during the last two weeks of August and the first two weeks of September the Monarchs gather at Stonington Point just east of Escanaba and Gladstone.  Here they wait until the winds are right for the migration flight south across Lake Michigan, Green Bay and on to their winter grounds in Mexico. -- Up North Michigan

While we here in Michigan will be sad to see the monarchs go, communities in Mexico will be waiting to welcome them with annual festivals and celebrations. The butterflies often arrive around Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) on November 1 and 2. In some Mexican communities, monarchs are believed to represent the souls of loved ones returning home.