'It’s just amazing to watch': Local woman raises monarch butterflies
On the front porch of a home in Ailsa Craig stands a queen, and the creatures who hang from clothespins represent her queendom.
Just as the sign reads, you have entered ‘Nancy’s Monarchy.’
The sole purpose of Nancy Michielsen’s rule is to help the declining monarch butterfly population.
She began with just a few ‘subjects’ in 2020. Now, three years on, her queendom has reached 260 monarchs in various stages of their lifecycle.
“It started during the lockdown. I was looking for something to do during COVID. One of my daughters was raising monarch butterflies. And, it just grew quickly into what you see here,” she explained.
Nancy Michielsen stands in front of her 'monarchy' in Ailsa Craig, Ont. Behind her along her front window are hundreds of caterpillars in various stages of their lifecycle. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)Beginning in mid-July, Nancy spends up to eight hours a day caring for her favourite insects.
She begins by collecting tiny monarch butterfly eggs from the leaves of milkweed plants.
Next, she feeds them through the caterpillar and chrysalis stage until they emerge as butterflies.
So far this week, 85 have hatched with the rest expected to pop out by week’s end.
“It’s a miracle every time. I’ve sat here on my porch, and it is a little miracle. It’s just amazing to watch,’ she said.
A newly hatched monarch butterfly at Nancy Michielsen’s home is is tagged for tracking before it begins a journey to Mexico. (Sean Irvine/CTV News London)
The adult monarchs will spend a few hours drying before spreading their wings and heading out into the wild.
Just before they flutter, Nancy tags their wings on behalf of the conservation group Monarchwatch.org
The tags also let her know how many butterflies make it to their wintertime home in Mexico.
Nancy is hopeful most do, but she is already proud of her success in Ailsa Craig.
“More than 95 per cent survive,” she said.
A camera catches the moment a butterfly emerges at 'Nancy's Monarchy' in Ailsa, Craig, Ont. Nancy Michielsen is determined to save monarch butterflies. (Submitted)That’s well above the 10 per cent rate in the wild, where predators and the clearing of their milkweed food source have reduced the population.
But thanks to Queen Nancy’s conservation message, more milkweeds are showing up in Ailsa Craig and beyond.
After all, who wants to go against the decree of a monarchy?
“I get a few people saying, ‘Hey, there’s the queen, and they wave and listen,” she concluded with a laugh.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Bird flu, measles top 2025 concerns for Canada's chief public health officer
As we enter 2025, Dr. Theresa Tam has her eye on H5N1 bird flu, an emerging virus that had its first human case in Canada this year.
Azerbaijan observes day of mourning for air crash victims as speculation mount about its cause
Azerbaijan on Thursday observed a nationwide day of mourning for the victims of the plane crash that killed 38 people and left all 29 survivors injured as speculation mounted about a possible cause of the disaster that remained unknown.
Prayers and tears mark 20 years since the Indian Ocean tsunami that killed some 230,000 people
People gathered in prayer and visited mass graves in Indonesia’s Aceh province on Thursday to mark 20 years since the massive Indian Ocean tsunami hit the region in one of modern history’s worst natural disasters.
Thousands without power on Christmas as winds, rain continue in B.C. coastal areas
Thousands of people in British Columbia are without power on Christmas Day as ongoing rainfall and strong winds collapse power lines, disrupt travel and toss around holiday decorations.
Donald Trump says he urged Wayne Gretzky to run for prime minister in Christmas visit
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he told Canadian hockey legend Wayne Gretzky he should run for prime minister during a Christmas visit but adds that the athlete declined interest in politics.
Ho! Ho! HOLY that's cold! Montreal boogie boarder in Santa suit hits St. Lawrence waters
Montreal body surfer Carlos Hebert-Plante boogie boards all year round, and donned a Santa Claus suit to hit the water on Christmas Day in -14 degree Celsius weather.
Historical mysteries solved by science in 2024
This year, scientists were able to pull back the curtain on mysteries surrounding figures across history, both known and unknown, to reveal more about their unique stories.
King Charles III focuses Christmas message on healthcare workers in year marked by royal illnesses
King Charles III used his annual Christmas message Wednesday to hail the selflessness of those who have cared for him and the Princess of Wales this year, after both were diagnosed with cancer.
Mother-daughter duo pursuing university dreams at the same time
For one University of Windsor student, what is typically a chance to gain independence from her parents has become a chance to spend more time with her biggest cheerleader — her mom.