Date: 08/22/2017

Number: 2000

Monarchs 1000's at the Mighty Mac Bridge

I work at Mackinac Bridge Tolls. Many monarchs fluttering around all day. I kept seeing them fly into a tree off the causeway and then flashes of orange. My 6:10pm break I took a video. Northwest side of toll booths. Yooper Heaven! It was glorious!

It has been exciting to see this here, by all us bridge peeps and even the bridge crossers are saying things about it.
We have seen them fluttering around for a couple days.
At about 6:30pm yesterday I noticed a few flying into the trees on NW side of the toll booths, and then would see flashes of orange. 😁😁 I am guessing in the 1000's, way more than the 100's.
I am not sure about a nectar source as we are surrounded by water, but many conifers and evergreens and birch trees.
Overnight temps are mid 50's to mid 60's.
Yesterday from west and our gauges were recording 30 mphs.
I am guessing our trees were helping them get a rest. They were obviously fighting hard to cross the causeway to get to the trees. 😆

Editor’s Note: We are estimating at least 2000 butterflies based on observer’s comments that there are ‘thousands’ not ‘hundreds,

Saint Ignace, MI

Latitude: 45.8 Longitude: -84.7

Observed by: Susan
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