Monarch Migration
We touched on the monarch arrival in our last newsletter, as this annual migration is one of the most fascinating natural events in North America. Monarch butterflies are unique among butterflies for their remarkable long-distance, two-way seasonal migration. Some travel thousands of miles to reach their overwintering grounds!
Where Are They Headed?
Monarchs from eastern North America migrate south to overwintering sites in the mountains of central Mexico. Butterflies traveling from different parts of the United States and Canada follow several migration pathways, with Texas serving as an especially important corridor during their journey south.
One of the most incredible parts of this journey is that the monarchs making the fall migration have never been to their overwintering destination before. The migration takes place across multiple generations during the year, but a special long-lived generation makes the remarkable journey south each fall.
Helping Monarchs Along the Way
Monarch populations can fluctuate considerably from year to year and continue to face challenges including habitat loss, weather extremes, and the availability of milkweed and nectar-producing plants.
That’s where Monarch Waystations and other pollinator-friendly gardens can help. These spaces provide milkweed for monarch caterpillars along with nectar-rich flowers that give adult butterflies an important source of energy during migration.
Texas plays an especially important role because so many migrating monarchs pass through our state on their journey to and from Mexico. Even a small home garden filled with appropriate nectar plants can provide a valuable stopping place along the way.
Want to Track the Monarchs?
You can follow the monarch migration through Journey North, where citizen scientists report monarch sightings as the butterflies travel across North America.
The map below shows what reported sightings looked like when this article was originally written:
Amazing, isn’t it? Keep an eye on your garden during migration season—you never know when one of these incredible travelers may stop by for a visit!