The fall season brings with it a slew of seasonal hues – but we’re not just talking about foliage. Each fall, millions of butterflies head south to escape the freezing winter temperatures in Canada and the northern U.S. When migrating, the butterflies travel along “flyways.” And since one of those flyways passes right though Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, it’s likely we’ll see a surge of the colorful butterflies. Take a look:
The monarch migration has been dubbed one of the greatest natural events on Earth, and we have to agree.
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
Just like birds, the monarch travels north in the summer and south in the winter. An amazing phenomenon, the monarch is the only butterfly known to make a two-way migration.
Viv Lynch/Flickr
Even more amazing is the fact that is the fact that the monarchs travel about 3,000 miles (round trip)!
Rachel Kramer/Flickr
During the fall migration, millions of monarch butterflies leave their summer breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and Canada to “overwinter” in warmer temperatures.
Carol Vinzant/Flickr
Butterflies from western North America generally migrate to California, while those from eastern North America overwinter in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.
Aaron Oritz/Flickr
Once the monarchs arrive at their overwintering sites, they cluster together to stay warm. Clusters can vary in size and can contain tens of thousands of butterflies.
Johanna Madjedi/Flickr
As you can see from the map, the monarchs from eastern North America travel via several flyways, which eventually merge together. It’s truly amazing that the butterflies know which way to go, especially when you consider that this migrating generation has never been to Mexico!
USDA
The Mississippi Gulf Coast plays a vital role in the monarch migration – and not just because a flyway passes through the area. The coast provides nectaring grounds for monarchs migrating to Mexico for the winter.
Pascagoula River Audubon Center/Facebook
The Pascagoula Audubon Center in Moss Point does a lot of work to support the monarch population, including taking part in MonarchWatch, which is a database of monarch information that’s collected from citizens all over North America.
Pascagoula River Audubon Center/Facebook
As part of the project, monarchs are captured, tagged with a sticker (without causing any harm), and released. The tagged monarchs are then re-captured, providing vital information about the population.
Chris/Flickr
Want to do your part to help the monarch population? Monarchs depend on milkweed as a host plant for their eggs, so simply add some milkweed to your garden. In addition to milkweed, you can plant a variety of blooming flowers for the adult monarchs.
Melanie McCue/Flickr
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
Viv Lynch/Flickr
Rachel Kramer/Flickr
Carol Vinzant/Flickr
Aaron Oritz/Flickr
Johanna Madjedi/Flickr
USDA
Pascagoula River Audubon Center/Facebook
Chris/Flickr
Melanie McCue/Flickr
For more information, visit the USDA website. You can also check out the Pascagoula Audubon Center website or Facebook page, where you’ll find information specific to Mississippi.
So, did you know about the monarch migration? Have you seen more fluttering around than usual? Tell us in the comments section.
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