How far does a monarch butterfly travel during migration?
The colorful insect's migration across the North American continent is one of the greatest natural events on Earth. Each fall, millions of monarch butterflies leave their summer breeding grounds in the northeastern U.S. and Canada and travel upwards of 3,000 miles to reach overwintering grounds in southwestern Mexico.
When do monarch butterflies begin their migration?
The monarchs begin their southern migration from September to October. Eastern and northeastern populations, up to 500,000 monarch butterflies, migrate at this time. Originating in southern Canada and the United States, they travel to overwintering sites in central Mexico. The butterflies arrive at their roosting sites in November.
Where to see the annual monarch butterfly migration?
Where to See Monarch Butterflies
- Pismo Beach— Over 12,000 butterflies overwinter at the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. ...
- Pacific Grove— The town of Pacific Grove is known as “Butterfly Town, USA.” It hosts thousands of butterflies at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary. ...
- Santa Cruz— Natural Bridges State Beach has a Monarch Grove with a natural preserve designation. ...
Is the monarch butterfly the only butterfly that migrate?
The monarch is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration as birds do. Unlike other butterflies that can overwinter as larvae, pupae, or even as adults in some species, monarchs cannot survive the cold winters of northern climates. Using environmental cues, the monarchs know when it is time to travel south for the winter.
Do Monarch butterflies migrate from California?
Two populations of Monarch butterflies call the United States home. The group living east of the Rocky Mountains migrates south to spend the winter in Mexico. Those living west of the Rockies migrate to the coast of central and southern California. Migration is not an uncommon phenomenon.
Why might you see more monarch butterflies in California in the winter?
As the air cools and sunlight declines each fall, thousands of western monarch butterflies return to California to overwinter.
Do monarch butterflies overwinter in California?
Monarchs living west of the Rocky Mountain range in North America overwinter in California along the Pacific coast near Santa Cruz and San Diego. Here microclimatic conditions are very similar to that in central Mexico. Monarchs roost in eucalyptus, Monterey pines, and Monterey cypresses in California.
How long do monarch butterflies stay in California?
The monarchs generally arrive in California at the beginning of November and spread across the country once warmer weather arrives in March. Monarchs from across the West migrate annually to about 100 wintering sites dotting central California's Pacific coast.
How long do monarch butterflies live?
2 to 6 weeksMonarch butterflies typically live from 2 to 6 weeks except for the last generation of the year, which can live up to 8 to 9 months. How can I get monarchs to come to my flower garden? Any flowering plants will attract monarchs, which will nectar on the flowers.
Where are the monarch butterflies in California 2022?
Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly GroveThe Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove will be open for Day use during the 2021/2022 western monarch butterfly overwintering season with COVID 19 measures in place.
Do monarchs lay eggs in California?
Because tropical milkweed is evergreen, it can interfere with the normal life cycle of California monarchs. California's monarchs do not lay eggs in the winter since California native milkweeds are dormant during that time. However, they will lay eggs in the evergreen tropical types.
What do monarchs eat in California?
MilkweedsThe milkweed's flowers produce high quality nectar for a variety of pollinators, including the monarch butterfly. Milkweeds are also the only plant that adult monarchs will lay their eggs on, and the only food that monarch caterpillars eat. Milkweeds get their name from the milky sap that they exude when injured.
What happened to the monarch butterflies in California?
Though monarch numbers increased, they are far from the millions that California saw in the 1980s. In 2020, this represented a 99.9 percent decline, write Pelton and Stephanie McKnight on Xerces' blog. Scientists think threats including habitat loss and pesticide use caused population numbers to plummet.
Are monarch butterflies endangered in California?
In June 2022, a California court ruled that invertebrates, including insects, can now be listed under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), which may open the door for a state-wide listing of Western monarchs. An endangered listing would mean legal protections for their overwintering sites in California.
Why are monarch butterflies important?
As pollinators, the monarch butterfly migration across the continent provides an invaluable service, essential for many ecosystems to thrive. It is thanks to pollinators, such as butterflies, bees, and other insects, that we have many of the flowers and dietary staples that we enjoy, like squash and blueberries.
What month do butterflies come out in California?
How to See Monarch Butterflies in California. You can see the monarch butterflies in California from mid-October through February. They're stopping off to mate before moving on, but they don't just pair up. They also gather in basketball-sized clusters while they sleep in eucalyptus and pine trees along the coast.
Where do the monarch butterflies go in California?
Every year, from October through early March, these butterflies migrate to central & southern California, mostly coming in from areas west of the Rocky Mountains, and south from Oregon & Idaho. They flock to San Diego, Orange County, Monterey and Santa Cruz, forming huge clusters in groves along the coast.
What happened to the monarch butterflies in California?
Though monarch numbers increased, they are far from the millions that California saw in the 1980s. In 2020, this represented a 99.9 percent decline, write Pelton and Stephanie McKnight on Xerces' blog. Scientists think threats including habitat loss and pesticide use caused population numbers to plummet.
When can I see monarch butterflies in California?
You can see the monarch butterflies in California from mid-October through February. They're stopping off to mate before moving on, but they don't just pair up. They also gather in basketball-sized clusters while they sleep in eucalyptus and pine trees along the coast.
How do you attract monarch butterflies in California?
California native nectar plants Thus, it is important to have flowering plants from spring to late fall in order to provide a reliable nectar source. Of particular importance are fall and early spring blooming flowers that provide food for migrating monarchs.
When do monarch butterflies migrate?
The monarchs begin their southern migration from September to October. Eastern and northeastern populations, up to 500,000 monarch butterflies, migrate at this time. Originating in southern Canada and the United States, they travel to overwintering sites in central Mexico. The butterflies arrive at their roosting sites in November. They remain in their roosts during the winter months and then begin their northern migration in March. No individual butterfly completes the entire round trip. Female monarchs lay eggs for a subsequent generation during the northward migration. Four generations are involved in the annual cycle.
Why do monarchs migrate in different directions?
When monarchs entrained to laboratory light-dark cycles were placed in flight simulators, or recording containers in which tethered butterflies are allowed to freely fly in the horizontal plane in all directions, migratory monarchs could integrate current sunlight conditions with their internal time of day to determine and consistently show a southward preferred direction of travel. However, when these monarchs were placed into flight simulators with six hour clock advances or delays, preferred direction of travel changed due to interference with the time-compensated sun compass. Monarchs orient to the sun based on their internal time of day, so drastic changes to the position of the sun at the same perceived time results in disrupted navigation. In such an instance, monarchs can no longer accurately identify southward travel, and, depending on the light conditions, may begin to migrate in other directions.
How to protect monarch butterflies?
In May 2015, the Pollinator Health Task Force issued a "National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators". The strategy lays out current and planned federal actions to protect Monarch butterflies and other pollinators: 1 Monarch butterflies: Increase the Eastern population of the monarch butterfly to 225 million butterflies occupying an area of approximately 15 acres (6 hectares) in the overwintering grounds in Mexico, through domestic/international actions and public-private partnerships, by 2020. 2 Pollinator Habitat Acreage: Restore or enhance seven million acres of land for pollinators over the next five years through Federal actions and public/private partnerships. Many of the priority projects that the National Strategy identifies will focus on the I-35 corridor extending for 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from Texas to Minnesota that provides spring and summer breeding habitats in the monarch's key migration corridor.
Why are there fewer monarchs in Mexico?
Conservationists also call attention to the decreased habitat that allows the growth of nectaring plants. Other factors that may have a negative effect on the migration are extreme weather, including colder winters in central Mexico, droughts in Texas, invasive (non—milkweed) flora on which monarchs lay eggs and the increased use of synthetic insecticides that are less biodegradable.
Why are monarchs declining in Mexico?
These conservationists argue that the reduction in milkweed habitat in agricultural regions of North America is a major cause of the declines in the number of monarchs that reach Mexico. However, other top researchers doubt this claim, because it is not consistent with data collected by several long-term butterfly monitoring programs in the United States. The data from these programs do not show evidence that the numbers of breeding adult monarchs has declined since the 1990s. Despite this evidence, some conservationists cite the use of pesticides and herbicides as a cause of the declines in overwintering monarchs. They state that prior to the introduction of genetically altered corn and soybeans, milkweed was common in the crop fields. The connection between the use of GMO crops and the decline in the numbers of overwintering monarchs has been called 'suggestive but not conclusive', as there are other factors such as deforestation and weather events that could be the cause. Milkweed habitat is also destroyed by the expansion of urban and suburban areas.
How does the monarch clock work?
Similarly to how circadian clocks operate in Drosophila and mammals, the monarch circadian clock uses a transcription translation feedback loop (TTFL) to drive rhythms in the mRNA and protein levels of its core circadian clock components. However, the monarch mechanism has been found to be ancestral because it diverges from other clock mechanisms in the functions of its elements, some which reflect that of a Drosophila clock and some which reflect that of a mammalian clock. The most unique aspect of the monarch clock mechanism is that it involves two cryptochrome (CRY) proteins – CRY1 and CRY2 – with differing functions. CRY1 functions similarly to the CRY protein in Drosophila as a blue light photoreceptor that allows for the circadian clock to entrain to a light-dark cycle. CRY2 functions similarly to the mammalian CRY1 and CRY2 proteins in that it functions as one of the major repressors in the monarch TTFL.
How does the sun affect monarchy?
The sun plays an integral role in the monarchs’ migratory patterns : monarchs travel during the day and use a circadian clock based on the position of the sun in the sky as a compass to orient themselves in the proper migratory direction. Because the position of the sun changes over the course of the day, to maintain a proper flight bearing regardless of time of day at which they travel, monarchs use a circadian clock to compensate for the changes of the position of the sun in the sky; they use what is known as a time-compensated sun compass. Various studies have shown this behavior both in natural systems and laboratory settings, yet there remains much to be researched about the underlying mechanisms for interpreting the orientation and timing cues that lead to the migratory patterns of the monarchs. Even with a time-compensated sun compass, it remains unclear with this model alone how monarchs effectively navigate to a single shared migratory location from variable starting locations.
Why do monarch butterflies migrate?
The monarchs migrate in groups that can have around 1,000 butterflies in order to facilitate warmth during travel to other geographic regions. (BRANDON SAGLAM/ Ethic Photo)
Why did the Monarchs migrate to California?
The Monarchs migrate to California because, as cold-blooded creatures, they cannot handle the extreme coldness. They also migrate because of their food; when the flowers and other plant species die in the winter, they need to go to a new place to maintain their influx of food.
How long does it take for monarch butterflies to hatch?
Monarch butterflies go through four stages in their life. According to the website, Monarch Butterfly, they begin their life in March and April by hatching from an egg as larvae. After two weeks have gone by, the larvae have fully grown into caterpillars and begin the process of metamorphosis.
Where do monarch butterflies fly?
Butterflies from Ea stern North America fly to the mountains of Sierra Madre in Mexico, while butterflies from Western North America land in California. The Monarch butterflies then spend the winter in the Oyamel forest. They migrate to this spot due to the high humidity that keeps their wings from drying out.
When do butterflies migrate to Mexico?
Once caterpillars turn into butterflies, they migrate to Mexico in the winter to seek food and warm shelter. This first generation of butterflies then lays eggs and dies, bringing in the second generation of butterflies in May and June to continue the same life cycle.
Why do butterflies have camouflage wings?
Their camouflage wings allow them to blend into the ground and trees to stay safe from their predators.
When can you see monarch butterflies in California?
How to See Monarch Butterflies in California. You can see the monarch butterflies in California from mid-October through February. They're stopping off to mate before moving on, but they don't just pair up. They also gather in basketball-sized clusters while they sleep in eucalyptus and pine trees along the coast.
Where do monarch butterflies fly?
Their offspring (the second generation) hatches in the mountains. From there, they fly to Oregon, Nevada, or Arizona. Third and fourth Monarch butterfly generations fan out even further. Finally, they return to the California coast, to the place where their great-great-grandparents started.
How much does a monarch butterfly weigh?
A monarch butterfly weighs less than 1 gram. That's less than the weight of a paper clip, but it can pull off a migration that would leave stronger animals, and most humans, exhausted. The butterfly's round-trip journey covers some 1,800 miles (2,900 km).
What happens if you get there too early for butterflies to fly?
If you get there too early, you might lose patience and leave before they start to fly. If you get there too late, they will be gone for the day. The first thing to do is to check the weather forecast. The butterflies won't fly at all if the temperature is less than 57 F (14 C). They also don't fly on cloudy days.
How many generations of butterflies live and die before their descendants return to the place where their ancestors started?
In fact, four generations of butterflies live and die before their descendants return to the place where their ancestors started. The first generation begins the migration cycle in the winter along the California coast. While there, they cluster in the trees for protection from storms and for warmth.
When do orange and black butterflies rustle?
When the sunshine warms the trees, thousand of the orange and black butterflies rustle and stir, and they take flight. As temperatures rise and the days get longer, the butterflies mate. During that time, you may see them doing spiral mating flights.
Where do monarch butterflies spend their winter?
The monarch butterflies spend winter along the California coast between Mendocino County and San Diego. The spots listed below are the most popular and easiest to reach, but they aren't the only places you can go to. Most sites south of Santa Barbara and north of Santa Cruz have far fewer butterflies to see.
Why do monarch butterflies migrate to warmer climates?
Because the monarch butterflies cannot survive in cold winter weather conditions they migrate to warmer climates. They begin the journey south in the late summer to early fall and return north in the late spring to early summer months. Flowers attract the monarchs.
When do monarch butterflies migrate south?
The great migration of monarch butterflies south in the fall and back north in the spring is an astonishing accomplishment.
Why do monarch butterflies eat milkweed?
Monarch butterflies develop protection from predators through the toxins in milkweed. Eating milkweed while in the caterpillar stage makes their skin poisonous to predators, plus it tastes bad, so it helps deter birds and insects from trying to eat them.
How long do monarch butterflies live?
Monarch butterflies born in Mexico will live 2 to 6 weeks. They begin the migration north and lay eggs (up to 400) before they die. Female monarchs lay 1 – 2 eggs on each leaf she lands on.
What signals the monarch butterflies it's time to migrate?
Scientists believe sunlight is what signals the monarch butterflies it’s time to migrate. And instinct is how the monarch butterflies find their way during migration.
How many monarchs will be in California in 2020?
As reported from the US National Park Service, in 2020 they counted fewer than 2,000 monarch in California. Compared to 1980 when an estimated 4.5 million monarchs spent the winter on the California coast. The reduction is staggering, 99 percent fewer monarchs in a 40 year time span.
Where do monarch butterflies spend their winter?
The western population of monarchs spend winter in California and the eastern population flies down to Mexico for winter. Monarch butterflies cluster on the trees in Goleta California.
How Does Monarch Butterfly Migration Work?
As the days get shorter and the temperatures drop off, monarchs begin to abandon breeding and feeding territories in search of a safe place to spend the winter .
Why Do Monarchs Migrate, and How Do They Know Where to Go?
This part is still very much up for debate, says Jepsen. But there are a couple of theories.
Why Are Monarch Butterflies Important?
While monarchs may seem small and insignificant, the creatures play a crucial role in the ecosystems they inhabit.
What Threats Do Migrating Monarchs Face?
These include declining milkweed populations across their range in the U.S. and Canada, parasites and diseases like those in Altizer’s research, and even a growing demand for avocados sourced from Mexico. ( Read more about the world's great migrations .)
Why are avocados bad for monarchs?
The avocado problem is a tricky one, says Jaramillo-López, because the people who live near the monarch wintering grounds need good ways to make a living. Unfortunately, when native forests are replaced with avocado plantations, it can have a ripple effect on monarchs higher up in the mountains.
How long does it take for monarchs to return to Canada?
It might take the monarchs as many as four to five generations to complete the journey all the way back up to Canada, says Sarina Jepsen, who directs the endangered species program for the Xerces Society, an international nonprofit focused on invertebrate conservation.
What trees protect monarchs?
Once there, the monarchs huddle together by the millions on the branches of oyamel fir trees. These trees, also known as sacred firs, create a microclimate that protects the insects, says Pablo Jaramillo-López, a research scientist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico.
What happens to monarchs when they migrate north?
Traveling North. As warm temperatures and lengthening days arrive, the migratory generation of monarchs finishes the development they halted prior to their migration. They become reproductive, breed and lay the eggs of the new generation. This starts the northern journey back to North America.
How far can a monarch butterfly travel?
The farthest ranging monarch butterfly recorded traveled 265 miles in one day. Monarch butterflies clustering in tree tops at the El Rosario Sanctuary, Michoacan, Mexico. Photo by Sue Sill, LCHPP, Inc.
Where Do Monarchs Go?
Monarchs in Eastern North America have a second home in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. Monarchs in Western North America overwinter in California.
What trees do monarchs roost on?
Roost sites are important to the monarch migration. Many of these locations are used year after year. Often pine, fir and cedar trees are chosen for roosting. These trees have thick canopies that moderate the temperature and humidity at the roost site.
What temperature do monarchs need?
Here temperatures range from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius. If the temperature is lower, the monarchs will be forced to use their fat reserves. The humidity in the oyamel forest assures the monarchs won’t dry out allowing them to conserve their energy.
Why do monarchs cluster?
Monarchs cluster together to stay warm. Tens of thousands of monarchs can cluster on a single tree. Although monarchs alone weigh less than a gram, tens of thousands of them weigh a lot. Oyamel trees are generally able to support the clustering butterflies, but sometimes branches break.
How many generations of monarchs are there in the United States?
Generation 1 monarchs are the offspring of the monarchs who overwintered in Mexico. Each successive generation travels farther north. It will take 3-4 generations to reach the northern United States and Canada.
Distribution
Habitat
- The western monarch butterfly relies on the California landscape for both breeding and overwintering habitat. Unlike the main eastern population of monarch butterflies that migrates to central Mexico to overwinter in huge concentrated clusters, the western population migrates to the coast of California. Here they find moderated temperatures and pro...
Life cycle
- In the spring, adult butterflies begin to move inland feeding on flower nectar, and mating and laying eggs on a variety of milkweed plants, the sole source of food for monarch caterpillars. These individuals then die, leaving their offspring to repeat the cycle. Several generations later, the last adults produced in late summer/fall migrate to the coast of California to survive the winter i…
Evolution
- This unique multiple-generation migration phenomenon has continued for thousands of years, but a notable decline in monarch populations has been documented relative to what was observed 20 years ago. This decline is likely due to a combination of factors, from habitat loss due to development, changing agricultural practices, and invasive species, to pesticide exposure and cli…
Ecology
- These environmental pressures affect not only the monarch butterflies, but the myriad of other native pollinators (e.g., bees, beetles, flies, moths, other butterflies) that rely on a diversity of flowering plants. Pollinators provide essential ecosystem services for humans and wildlife, from assisting plant reproduction and production of human food, to serving as high-energy food them…
Conservation
- The Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) member states of Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Nevada are leading an effort to implement a regional plan to enhance and target monarch butterfly conservation west of the Rocky Mountains. WAFWA adopted the plan on January 5, 2019 at its mid-winter meeting. The newly adopted Western Mon…
Overview
Monarch butterfly migration is the phenomenon, mainly across North America, where the subspecies Danaus plexippus plexippus migrates each summer and autumn to and from overwintering sites on the West Coast of California or mountainous sites in Central Mexico. Other subspecies perform minor migrations or none at all. This massive movement of butterflies has been called "one of the most spectacular natural phenomena in the world".
Historical accounts
As late as 1951, monarchs were mistakenly thought to overwinter as adults or pupae. Roosts of thousands were observed in southern regions of North America.
Migrating western populations of Danaus plexippus and their overwintering sites were known long before the Mexican winter sites were discovered in the 1970s. Pre-Hispanic Native Americans, the Purépecha and Otomi once occupied this area and tied the harvest of corn to the arrival of the but…
Migrations
Although the exact dates change each year, by the end of October, the population of monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains migrates to the sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests in the Mexican states of Michoacán and México. They also overwinter in areas that are privately owned. Some monarchs migrate to other locations such as Cuba and Florida in the fall. Two migratory flyways exist through North …
Population and migratory study methods
Initially, direct observation was the primary method used to assess monarch migration. More sophisticated methods have been developed since 1975.
Population counts "dramatically" vary year to year. The cause of the variations are attributed to natural occurrences, different methods used to count migrating butterflies, and man-made changes to the habitat. The validity of the populatio…
Migratory theory mechanisms
There are many theories that attempt to explain monarch migration. "Science has not yet offered a sufficient explanation for how that [the migration] happens." Researchers often propose that multiple migratory mechanisms play a role. Not all who study monarch migration agree on the mechanisms that allow the migrating butterflies to find overwintering sites.
Conservation
There is debate between researchers and citizen scientists who study the migration regarding the possible local extinction of the Monarch. The species is distributed worldwide and is not endangered. Still, there is concern that the migration of the eastern North American population may be at risk. Media reports of the monarch's forthcoming extinction have been criticized by scientists. "Monarchs are not in danger of extinction," states Lincoln Brower, a leading monarch …
Economics
Tourism around the overwintering sites in Mexico and California provides income for those who provide such services.
Residents near the overwintering sites are concerned that their children do not have enough to eat so they are forced to continue illegal logging. Other residents take advantage of the months butterflies overwinter near their homes. Though they consider themselves quite poor, it is possib…
Politics
The scientific and conservation efforts require the involvement of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This has resulted in the formation of the North American Monarch Conservation plan. Conservation plans in Mexico have been suggested to be deficient.
Conservation has both practical and theoretical components, with the former often having little to do with science or biology. Education shapes attitudes, a sympathetic populace lobbies govern…
The scientific and conservation efforts require the involvement of the United States, Canada and Mexico. This has resulted in the formation of the North American Monarch Conservation plan. Conservation plans in Mexico have been suggested to be deficient.
Conservation has both practical and theoretical components, with the former often having little to do with science or biology. Education shapes attitudes, a sympathetic populace lobbies govern…