Monarch Butterfly Migration | Journey North Citizen Science Project Tracks Spring and Fall Monarch Butterfly Migration

Monarch Butterflies

Monarch Butterfly News: May 1, 2014
By Elizabeth Howard

Please Report
Your Sightings!

First monarchs of the new generation are appearing as those from Mexico fade away. A surge in sightings will occur when the new generation advances northward.

News: First and Last
Spotlight: Milkweed Grow Fast Enough?
Conservation Education: Teachers Visit Mexico
Maps: Report Your Sightings

Image of the Week

First Sightings
Chuck Patterson

News: First and Last

The first monarchs of the new generation are now being seen! Outside of Texas, faded monarchs have been reported. Presumably those butterflies have traveled all the way from Mexico to Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina, and even Virginia.

"A very pale, worn monarch flew low through our garden but did not stop." Wichita, KS April 27, 2014

"While hiking we saw a monarch that lighted on the trail in front of us. It was ratty and faded." Roan Mountain,, TN April 26, 2014

Signs of the New Generation

Wings: Fresh-winged butterflies signify young butterflies of a new generation.
Numbers: An increase in monarch numbers occurs when a new generation appears.
Timing: It takes about a month—and a little longer in cool temperatures—for a generation to develop. Monarchs entered Texas over a month ago, so their offspring should be appearing now.

Got Enough Milkweed?
This week, reports of newly-emerging milkweed coincided with concerns about whether caterpillars will have enough to eat.

"I have seen several monarchs the past few weeks around by emerging swamp milkweed. Today I noticed quite a few larvae. I hope there is enough milkweed to sustain them!" April 26 Pittsburg, KS

How much milkweed does it take to feed a monarch from egg to chrysalis?

"They eat very small amounts as early instars, but the fifth instar can eat up to about 4 fairly good-sized leaves during that stage," says Dr. Karen Oberhauser.

However, she explains, the leaf-count varies between milkweed species because leaf-size varies so much.

Faded-winged monarch of the old generation

Last Sightings

New Generation

Newly Emerging
Anna Letaw

Early Egg-laying on Newly Emerged Milkweed

Got Enough Milkweed?
Chris Bishop

Spotlight: Milkweed Grow Fast Enough?

Will there be enough milkweed to feed hungry caterpillars? A woman in Pennsylvania compared milkweed growth to monarch development and made a surprising discovery.

Slideshow and Journal

Monarch Caterpillars: Can Milkweed Grow Fast Enough?

Conservation Education: Ohio Teachers Visit Mexico

When a small group of faculty from Columbus Academy visited a school in Angangueo, Mexico in March, they left Ohio unaware of how many ways this trip would impact both their professional and personal lives.

Ohio Teachers Visit Mexico

Maps: Report Your Sightings


What to Report	First Adult report \| map \| list	Milkweed report \| map \| list

First Egg report \| map \| list	First Larvae report \| map \| list	Other Observations report \| map \| list

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Next Update May 8, 2014