They're off! Flying, resting, and refueling, the monarchs are on their way to Mexico and excitement is in the air. Please watch for monarchs that are flying in "directional flight," resting at overnight roosts, or refueling at flowers in fields, gardens, or roadsides. We begin the season with a puzzle: what makes monarchs born at this time of year so special? Find out as you explore the highlights of the monarch's annual cycle.

This Week's Update Includes:

• News: Monarchs on the Move!
• The Migration: Maps and Journal Page
• Puzzle and Slideshow: The Annual Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly

News: Monarchs on the Move!

Welcome to Journey South's fall migration season! A cool wind came down from the north this week and fall migration began in a flurry. Overnight roosts were discovered from North Dakota to Ontario.

• Check out this video clip taken on Tuesday in Wisconsin. Watch how the butterflies behave as they form an overnight roost.
• Monarchs appeared suddenly the same day in northern Minnesota while northwest winds blew up to 30 mph: "There are thousands of them resting in the trees! Very, very cool," exclaimed the woman who discovered them.
• Paul Merrill patiently counted monarchs as they passed his observation post in Ontario: "Many monarch butterflies moving south," he said, and estimated 60 monarchs per hour on Monday and 35 per hour on Tuesday.

Watch the weather!
As you'll discover this fall, cold fronts with their strong north winds make the monarch's migration to Mexico possible. Only with the wind could they travel so far, so fast, and so effortlessly.

Wanted: Your Monarch Sightings
If you see monarchs any time, please let us know. Report frequently—but at least once a week—as long as monarchs are present. So far, 324 people have spotted monarchs and 19 roost-sites have been reported. Thank you, citizen scientists!