From now until early June, young monarch butterflies are emerging in the southern U.S. after developing from eggs laid by their moms several weeks ago. They wait a full 4-5 days before mating (can you say precocious?) and then demonstrate for yet another year their species' miraculous ability to find their way north to summer homes, laying their own eggs along the way.
These little orange-and-black tigers fly thousands of kilometers south each autumn to avoid winter cold and then north each spring to provide their offspring with the toxic milkweed (yummy!) they need to maintain their nasty bitter taste that birds avoid.
Unlike larger migratory animals with longer lifespans -- such as birds, wildebeest, or whales -- individual monarchs don't complete the round trip. Their grandchildren and great-grandchildren are the butterflies that complete the journey, and their own descendants return south the following fall.
So, how do monarchs find their way from breeding to wintering site, or vice versa, if they’ve never been there? They have a built-in solar-driven compass, of course!
![]() |
monarch butterfly en route to some thistle nectar photo credit: Daniel Cook/Monarch Watch |
These little orange-and-black tigers fly thousands of kilometers south each autumn to avoid winter cold and then north each spring to provide their offspring with the toxic milkweed (yummy!) they need to maintain their nasty bitter taste that birds avoid.
![]() |
swallows on the wing photo credit: Trendsupdates |
So, how do monarchs find their way from breeding to wintering site, or vice versa, if they’ve never been there? They have a built-in solar-driven compass, of course!