New Brunswick·Audio

Monarch butterflies arrive early this year

After its 5,000-kilometre journey north from Mexico, the monarch butterfly has made an early, unscheduled appearance in Canada.

Jim Wilson, a Quispamsis naturalist, says he's optimistic the butterflies are increasing in numbers

Jim Wilson, a naturalist in Quispamsis, said he is optimistic that monarch butterflies are increasing in numbers.

Monarch butterflies may be making a comeback in New Brunswick.

After its 5,000-kilometre journey north from Mexico, the monarch butterfly has made an early, unscheduled appearance in Canada. 

Naturalist Jim Wilson says an early sighting in the province makes him hopeful that the numbers this year might be better than the last.


Jim Wilson is a naturalist and he's optimistic the butterflies are increasing in numbers.

"The last few years have been the lowest recorded number of monarchs ever, down to a fraction of what it would have been in its peak in the '80s and '90s," said Wilson on Friday in an interview with Shift

But thanks to wet weather, the monarchs are finding plenty of places to lay their eggs this year.

Monarchs typically only live two to six weeks and are the only insect in the world known to make such a long migration.

Corrections

  • An earlier version of this story indicated the journey from Mexico is 500,000 kilometres. In fact, it's 5,000 kilometres.
    Jun 22, 2015 12:24 PM AT