"My daughter and I spotted our first monarch of the season in a field outside the school. It was brightly coloured, and definitely had the flight pattern of a monarch." East St. Paul, Manitoba 6/10/15

Nearing Northern Limit
For 3 months the monarchs have been traveling northward in pursuit of milkweed. They're reaching milkweed's northern limit in the central flyway now. In the east, they'll travel another 500 miles as far as Canada's Maritime provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. This map shows how far north milkweed grows — and the northern extent of monarch migration.

Local Generations
How many generations will monarchs produce this summer where you live? Use this calendar to predict the timing. Watch for butterfly numbers to build each time a new generation emerges. The population will be at its peak when fall migration begins in August.

• Amazing Adaptations: Larvae Legs