Lazy-like Summer Flight
Watch how a monarch flies during the breeding season, as it searches for nectar, milkweed, or a mate—or avoids a potential predator. Flight behavior is "non-directional" at this time of year, with unexpected ups, downs, twist and turns. "They fly like they're dizzy," one boy said after seeing a monarch's zigzagging flight. Watch for a change when fall migration begins. "Directional flight" is a clear sign that migration is underway. Monarchs will fly in a straight line with a southbound bearing.

Image: Elizabeth Howard