Monarch Butterfly Migration
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The Migration of Monarch Butterflies
Did you know that the Monarch Butterflies of North America can migrate up to 3000 miles? It's hard to imagine that something as delicate-looking as a butterfly can travel that far, but some North American monarchs migrate very long distances, as far as from Canada to Central Mexico.
Monarchs are one of the most widely recognized butterflies in North America, but they can also be found in South America, parts of Australia and New Zealand, and occasionally in a few areas of Europe. Only the North American monarch butterfly migrates any great distance.
In fact, the migration of the monarch butterfly is the largest and longest migration of any North American insect. But the individuals who migrate south for the winter only make this trip once. The group of monarchs that fly south the next year are the fourth generation after the previous year's migration.
Migrating monarchs photo by tlindenbaum,CC BY-ND 2.0
Updated 1/22/12
Where Are the Monarchs Now?
Updates and Map of Where Monarchs are in Their Migration Route.
Also see the Monarch Map for Fall 2011 -- where monarch butterflies have been sighted during different weeks this fall.
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Monarch butterfly on milkweed by Smart Destinations, CC BY-SA 2.0
Why Do Monarchs Migrate?
Monarchs Migrate South to Escape the Cold, and North to Find Food
Monarch butterflies and their larvae (caterpillars) and pupae (chrysalises) can't live through the cold winters of northern climates, and need to travel south for the monarch population to survive. In other butterfly and insect species, the larvae and the pupae, and in some cases the adults, can overwinter in the colder climates, so there's no need for them to migrate.Monarchs in other parts of the world don't migrate, or just migrate for short distances because their populations live in areas where winters aren't as severe.
So why don't the North American monarchs just stay south then, if they can't survive the colder northern winters? Because monarch larvae (caterpillars) can only feed on milkweed plants which don't grow in the areas where the adults overwinter. The adults have to fly north again to lay their eggs where milkweed is plentiful.
There's a theory that the North American population of monarch butterflies didn't migrate these long distance until sometime after 1865. In the article The Biogeography of the Monarch Butterfly, the author says that when European colonists to North America destroyed much of the forested areas of the mid-continent, the opportunistic milkweed plant species expand north into these deforested areas. Monarchs followed the northward expansion of the milkweed, but only the populations that moved back south again for the winter managed to survive.
Monarch photo from ButterflyPictures.net
Where Do Monarchs Spend the Winter?
Monarch Butterflies wintering in the Monarch Grove Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, California by Agunther, CC 3.0
North American monarchs migrate to one of two areas:
Western North America
Those that live west of the Rockies migrate to the southern coast of California near Santa Cruz and San Diego. Here the monarchs roost in eucalyptus trees and Monterey pines and Monterey cypresses.
Central and Eastern North America
Up to three hundred million monarch butterflies that live east of the Rockies in Canada and in the United States fly to Mexico each year, funnel down through Texas to a small area in the mountains of Central Mexico. They roost in Oyamel fir forests at an elevation of about 2 miles above sea level.
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In both California and in Mexico, the monarchs gather in dense clusters to stay warm. Many thousands of butterflies can roost on one Oyamel fir tree!
In 1986, the Mexican government created the Mariposa Monarca (Monarch Butterfly) Biosphere Reserve to protect the habitat where the monarchs overwinter. Currently this reserve covers over 200 square miles.
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Watch a 2.5 minute National Geographic Monarch Butterfly Video to see these flying beauties in action, and to hear some of the problems monarch butterflies face due to overlogging in their wintering grounds.
Monarch Migration Routes
Author Harald Süpfle, CC 3.0 license
- August - September. Most of the monarchs live in the mid-central US
- September - November migration south
- March -- Some start north
- More travel in April and June
- End of migration to the northern-most points in June and July
Did You Know....?
Monarch butterflies can travel between 50 - 100 miles a day. They may take up to two months to complete their journey south.
Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle
The North American Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle goes through four generations each year.The population that overwinters in Mexico and California starts to mate and then head north in February and March to find milkweed plants to lay their eggs (Generation 1 of the new year). The eggs hatch into caterpillars after about four days, and the caterpillars eat milkweed and grow larger.
After two weeks, the caterpillars transform into chrysalises. After another 10 days the adult monarch butterfly emerges from the chrysalis.
This adult lives only from 2 - 6 weeks, and dies after laying the eggs for Generation 2. Generations 2 and 3 follow the same pattern, perhaps flying a little further north, laying eggs for the next generation, then dying.
Generation 4 is born in August and September, and instead of laying eggs, they migrate south and overwinter in California or Mexico. They may live six to eight months, until its time to lay eggs for Generation 1 of the next year.
Go to The King of Butterflies -- The Monarch Butterfly to see a series of beautiful photos of the different stages in the monarch life cycle. (Check out especially the chrysalis -- it looks like a jade with gold ornament!)
Photo of caterpillar starting to change into chrysalis by Derek Ramsey, GNU Free Documentation License
Photo below, swarm of monarchs, by Reina Kumra, CC 2.0 license
Monarchs Overwintering in Mexico
Monarch Watch Tagging Program
The Monarch Watch tagging program was developed as a way to study the pathways that monarchs east of the Rockies take as they migrate south. People who find a tagged monarch are requested to email or call to report when and where they found it. The small tag includes the website and phone number along with the ID number.Of course not many people are aware of this program! Still, a small percentage of tagged monarchs are caught and reported each year, en route to Mexico, or in Mexico.
Volunteers of the tagging program are instructed how to safely catch and place small tags on monarchs. They record the ID number on the tag, and when and where the monarch was tagged. They send this information back to Monarch Watch. Read a volunteer's experience of the tagging program.
As a way to encourage more data collection from tagged butterflies in Mexico, the local farmers are paid $5 for each tagged butterfly that they report.
Image by Derek Ramsey, under GNU Free Documentation License
The Long Journey Home
How do we determine their routes?
More information about the Monarch Watch Program.
It's Still a Mystery....
We don't really know how monarchs know where to go in the winter. They often roost in the same trees that the previous year's migrants visited.
Monarch Butterflies in the News
- Harbor Seals & Monarch Butterflies
- We will then visit Ellwood's Monarch Butterfly. Take the 101 south to the Bailard Ave. Exit. Turn towards the ocean and park in the lot on the bluff - meet there at 9:00 AM and we'll walk 1/2 mile to view the rookery. Co-sponsored by AUSB and Santa ...
- Monarch rules: Butterflies awe young, old at Pismo
- By TPR Staff Adults as well as children were wide-eyed with wonder at thousands of Western monarch butterflies that fluttered through the sunlight Saturday at the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. Local residents and tourists alike flocked to ...
- Butterflies vanish from Tauranga
- Tauranga's butterfly lady Mary Parkinson is in despair at this summer's monarch butterfly breeding pattern. "Some areas seem to have plenty of caterpillars and no food left, while other areas have no caterpillars. "The peculiar weather we've had this ...
- Monarch butterflies reign in Pismo Beach
- Jayson Mellom / AP The country's largest concentration of monarch butterflies - some 23000 at last count - has fluttered back to a eucalyptus grove near a Pismo State Beach campground. While docents lead daily tours through February, California Western ...
Monarch Butterflies on Amazon.com
Monarch Butterfly Books on eBay
Read More About Monarch Butterflies
- Journey North's Monarch Butterfly Migration Tracking Project
- Help track the monarch butterfly migration each fall and spring as the butterflies travel to and from Mexico. Report your own observations of migrating butterflies to real-time migration maps.
- Monarch Butterfly Migration 2010/2011
- The Monarch butterfly migration route takes these insects thousands of miles from northern Canada down to the Oyamel forests of Mexico.
- Monarch Lab: University of Minnesota
- Unlike most other insects in temperate climates, monarch butterflies cannot survive a long cold winter. Every fall, North American monarchs fly south to spend the winter at roosting sites.
- Monarch Butterfly Migration and Overwintering
- The Monarch Butterfly website is an interagency effort to educate the public and increase understanding of monarch butterfly biology and conservation.
- Monarch Butterfly Migration
- Article all about the how and why of Monarch Butterfly Migration. More Monarch articles here too.
- The King of Butterflies --The Monarch Butterfly
- Monarch Butterfly information resource. Pictures, migration, life cycle, conservation, and links to more Monarch Butterfly websites.
Have You Been Seeing Migrating Monarch Butterflies?
Where do you see Monarch Butterflies?
I've been enjoying reading your comments! It's been fun to read where people are seeing the monarchs as they migrate. Continue to let me know when monarchs are migrating through your area!
Animated monarch butterfly from pschiatrics on Photobucket.com
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Hypersapien
Feb 9, 2012 @ 4:50 pm | delete
- This is stuff I hadn't though tabout in years, but great info. I always enjoy profiles of the insect and animal kingdoms.
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ladybugstuff
Jan 29, 2012 @ 1:05 am | delete
- Hi, great lens. when i was a kid I loved to play with the fuzzy caterpillars. I came into the house once with them in my hair and my pockets....Ehrin
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BuddyBink
Jan 28, 2012 @ 6:45 pm | delete
- Very interesting. I knew about the migration but I did not realize it was a four generation cycle. Thanks.
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GaelicForge
Jan 27, 2012 @ 9:03 pm | delete
- There's a grove of trees in Pismo Beach where these little critters migrate to. It's an awesome experience to see them clustered in the trees.
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megabu717
Jan 27, 2012 @ 5:39 pm | delete
- Lots of interesting details on Monarch Butterfly. Amazing and beautiful creatures. Thanks.
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by kajohu
I've tagged monarchs with my mother, and I've watched captive caterpillars turn into chrysalises, then emerge to adult monarchs. more »
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Monarchs Music Box
Monarchs Music Box
Amazon Price: $22.87 (as of 02/14/2012)
This cute monarch butterfly music box will delight young girls (and some boys!), and give them a place to hide their jewelry or other small treasures. Plays Isle of Capri.
7" x 5" x 6.5" box has center container, along small drawers on each side, front, and back.
Butterfly Net
Student Butterfly Net 20" Handle
Amazon Price: (as of 02/14/2012)
Product Description
Student Butterfly Net combines the best in functionality and aesthetic design. Each net is made with fine mesh material and other high-grade components that find the perfect balance between durability and creature care/protection. This net has been designed to allow the amateur to effectively capture butterflies, moths and other winged insects.
