Every fall, when the days get shorter and cooler, millions of Eastern Monarch butterflies leave Canada and the northern United States to go on an epic journey called migration, flying more than 2,500 miles to Mexico. It takes them about two months to travel the full distance. They must travel to a warm location because they can’t survive the cold winters of the north.
Just like Monarch in the story, real-life monarchs stop along the way to rest, find food, and wait for good flying weather. Monarchs can’t travel if the temperature is too cold, if the wind is too strong or from the wrong direction, or if it’s raining. They follow migratory corridors, which are like invisible highways in the sky! When monarchs arrive in Mexico, they find forests that have just the right conditions for them to survive.
Scientists aren’t completely sure how monarchs know where to fly. They might follow cues from the sun and the earth’s magnetism and seem to have instructions in their genes that tell them where to go. It’s a mystery that scientists continue to study!
How to Help Monarchs
Unfortunately, these beautiful insects are in danger. Over time, people have built roads and cities, so there are fewer places for monarchs to find food and lay eggs. Some farmers spray chemicals to keep pests from destroying their crops, but those chemicals can also kill the plants monarchs need to survive.
Luckily, there are ways you can help monarchs stay healthy and safe, so they can make their amazing journey for years to come.
- Plant milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants in your yard or garden. Caterpillars eat milkweed leaves, and adults sip nectar from the flowers. Be sure to find plants that grow well where you live. The Xerces Society, Journey North and the National Wildlife Federation websites are good places to search.
- Talk with your teacher or principal about creating a butterfly garden at your school. Save Our Monarchs is one organization that offers resources to help schools get started.
- Learn more about monarchs!
- Selected children’s books about monarchs and their migration journey:
- Milkweed for Monarchs by Christine Van Zandt and Alejandra Barajas
- Home is Calling: The Journey of the Monarch Butterfly by Katherine Pryor and Ellie Peterson.
- The Mystery of the Monarchs: How Kids, Teachers, and Butterfly Fans Helped Fred and Norah Urquhart Track the Great Monarch Migration by Barb Rosenstock and Erika Meza.
- Winged Wonders: Solving the Monarch Migration Mystery by Meeg Pincus and Yas Imamura.
- Monarch and Mourning Cloak: A Butterfly Journal by Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen.
- Websites to check out:
- Selected children’s books about monarchs and their migration journey:
Kelsey E. Gross 