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The Four

Monarch Marvels Fluttering through Northern Michigan

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You may have noticed more monarch butterflies this summer around your gardens, backyards and even along the highways.

Retired educator with Michigan State University Extension, Duke Elsner says it’s something he has also noticed compared to previous years.

Elsner says there could be a few reasons behind a possible increase in the delicate yet mighty-winged creatures.

Everything from more people planting milkweeds which the monarch caterpillars need, to the weather patterns all play a role in monarch populations.

However, Elsner says experts won’t officially know the monarch population numbers from this summer until late winter and early spring.

That’s because the butterflies make their flight thousands of miles south to Mexico before the frost creeps in.

They’ll stay dormant in trees in Mexico until spring arrives in the north when they eventually make the trek back.

For now, Elsner says, people should continue planting milkweed and keep them growing in backyard gardens to help increase the monarch flow.

For more information about the monarchs and MSU Extension .

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