Butterflies

The monarch butterfly undergoes a multi-generational migration cycle to travel from its breeding grounds in the northern United States and Canada to its wintering grounds in Mexico. This migration involves four generations.

Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries

Monarch migration, conservation, and habitat Monarch butterfly sanctuaries are vital habitats where these iconic pollinators find refuge during their overwintering period. Found primarily in Mexico and parts of California, these sanctuaries provide the ideal climate…

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Caring for Our Pollinators – Monarchs

Monarchs enhance plant reproduction through their pollination. My garden would feel lifeless without my bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. These pollinators are essential for its vibrancy and health. They bring it alive and keep it alive.…

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Monarchs Have Arrived in Minnesota

The winner of the ultimate relay race goes to the monarch butterfly. I eagerly await the monarch butterflies’ arrival in Minnesota each season because their presence brings a sense of wonder and beauty to my…

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Monarch Milkweed Fundraising Merchandise

Here’s a brief overview of the process:

  1. First Generation (Spring)
    • Monarchs that overwintered in Mexico start migrating north in the spring. They lay eggs in the southern United States, including Texas and other Gulf Coast states.
  2. Second Generation (Late Spring to Early Summer)
    • The first generation of monarchs hatches, matures, and continues the journey north, laying eggs in more northern states, including the Midwest, such as Minnesota.
  3. Third Generation (Summer)
    • The second generation gives rise to the third generation, which continues to move northward, reaching even more northern states, including Minnesota.
  4. Fourth Generation (Late Summer to Early Fall)
    • The third generation gives rise to the fourth and final generation, born in late summer or early fall. This generation is unique as it enters reproductive diapause, delaying maturity and extending lifespan. Instead of laying eggs immediately, they focus on fueling up for the long migration. This fourth generation is the one that migrates all the way back to the overwintering grounds in central Mexico.

This multi-generational migration is a remarkable natural phenomenon, and it takes several generations for monarch butterflies to complete the round-trip journey between their wintering and breeding grounds. Each generation plays a crucial role in this incredible migration cycle.

Monarch Updates

Journey North

2025 March – Numbers Announcement
2024 October – Mexico’s oyamel forests await monarchs’ arrival
2024 Mid-September – Fall roosts pick up; northern egg sightings tail off
2024 – Pivotal Pollinators: Small in Size, Large in Impact
2024 Early Spring – Migration Patterns Emerge Across North America
2023 – January: Cold Fronts Move In
2023 – Fall Migration Nearing End
2023 – Last Weeks of November
2023 – A Few Stragglers Hurry Along
2023 – Journey North – November Monarch Movements

Butterfly and Other Migratory Species Maps

The monarch’s MN visit info. maps

https://maps.journeynorth.org/
https://journeynorth.org/monarch/
https://monarchwatch.org/

Bloom Hearty Store

butterfly element designs