Monarch butterflies, like humans who live in the north of the United States or Canada, prefer to travel south every winter. They are not wrong, and it is hard to blame them. It can be difficult to live here in the cold and wet months, especially for something like us with thin wings.
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While we might be saying goodbye to these beautiful orange-and black insects for a portion of the year; people from different parts of the country may have the chance to spot them on their way to warmer climes. Here are some tips for spotting monarch butterflies as they migrate south.
Learn more about fall migration of monarch butterflies
The monarch butterflies of North America travel south each year, specifically to two places, every September and November. Monarch Watch, an educational non-profit organization that focuses on monarch butterflies, reports that the winged-insects who summer west of Rocky Mountains travel to small groves along the coast of California. Mexico is where the monarchs prefer to live east of Rocky Mountains.
Where to find migrating monarchs within your region
North American monarch butterflies don't pick a specific date every year and travel together. They base their fall departure from a combination of temperature changes and how much daylight they get in a given location.
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This chart from Monarch Watch is the easiest way to find out when butterflies will pass through your area.
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It only takes a few seconds to find your latitude (i.e. Omaha latitude). Where do these dates come? Monarch Watch points out that these dates are not fixed in stone but rather general guidelines. They indicate when a reasonable number of monarchs should be observed at each location. More:
These predictions are based on reports to Monarch Watch and first-hand observations. They also draw from the records of thousands upon thousands of tagged butterflies, which have been collected over the years. Although the migration records at particular locations may vary from the overall pattern, they are remarkably consistent when considered as a large-scale phenomenon.
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You can also find this map on the site if you need an extra visual aid.
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Check out the chart and grab your binoculars to enjoy the butterflies.
