Michigan

in the Great Lakes

Monarch Butterflies

Did you know that many Monarch Butterflies spend their summers in Michigan and migrate to Mexico in the latter part of the summer and early fall to spend the winter there? A different generation of Monarch Butterflies returns to Michigan from Mexico the following year mostly in the latter half of June. Monarch Butterflies can be found in both the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan among other places. They often fly south along the shoreline of the Great Lakes in the fall and can be seen especially on Peninsula Point in the Hiawatha National Forest in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in August and September.

Click here to see more about Monarch Butterfly Migration in Michigan.

Peninsula Point Lighthouse

Peninsula Point Lighthouse near Escanaba, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula was built in 1865 and decommissioned in 1936. It is now a historical site with an adjoining picnic area open for visitors. Peninsula Point on the Stonington Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula is a popular site for Monarch Butterfly migration and bird migration enthusiasts.

Click here to see more about Peninsula Point Lighthouse.

Appearance

Monarch butterflies have orange and black wings. The male Monarch Butterfly has a black dot on either side of its middle on the lower, hind wings. The female does not.

Nomenclature

The scientific name for the Monarch Butterfly is Danaus plexippus.

Milkweed

Female Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants, and the caterpillars that hatch feed on the milkweed plants.