Monarch Butterfly Migration News

Monarch Butterflies

Monarch Migration News: April 14, 2016
By Elizabeth Howard

The migration is now concentrated in Texas, where faded monarchs in their final flights are striving urgently to reproduce.

Another tattered, post-storm monarch showed its fortitude this week in Texas for Kathy Metzger

News: Final Flights

Right now, the population is concentrated in Texas where monarchs are focused on reproducing.

Endings and Beginnings
This week one observer in Montgomery, Texas watched faded monarchs in their final flights and witnessed their urgent drive to produce the next generation.

"At around 2pm I saw a monarch nectaring on the yellow thistle in our back yard. He was missing large portions of his left-side wings. Thankfully, he did not appear to be slowed down at all" by his tattered wings, but instead sped around quite handily as he seemed to search for females ~ in between sips of nectar of course. A wonderful and intrepid monarch!

"There is an abundance of wildflowers and newly emerged milkweed in the pastures. I took a rough survey of the milkweed, eggs, and larvae. I looked at around 153 milkweed plants and found 67 eggs and 23 larvae.

"It always impresses me to see the monarchs arrive in the spring with the females so determined to find good milkweed on which to lay their eggs. They often are seemingly frail with faded wings, but they carry on."

Sightings like these help scientists understand when and where habitat is critical for monarchs in the spring. Please report your observations.

Searching for Mates

Laying Eggs

Growing

Spring Migration
A Journey Driven by Needs

During spring migration, a female monarch leaves a trail of eggs behind her as she travels. The eggs will become adult butterflies and complete the migration later in the spring. They will be the children of the monarchs that spent the winter in Mexico.

Laying Eggs as She Migrates During spring migration, a female monarch leaves a trail of eggs behind her as she travels. The eggs will become adult butterflies and complete the migration later in the spring. They will be the children of the monarchs that spent the winter in Mexico.

"Eggs galore!" exclaimed Carol Cullar. Her friend found 56 eggs on 5 milkweed plants in southern Texas. How many eggs can you count here?

Finding Eggs on Milkweed "Eggs galore!" exclaimed Carol Cullar. Her friend found 56 eggs on 5 milkweed plants in southern Texas. How many eggs can you count here?

Without a new spring generation of eggs, we would not have monarchs within a few short weeks. Monarchs only live for a few weeks after they begin to reproduce.

Laying Eggs for the Future Without a new spring generation of eggs, we would not have monarchs within a few short weeks. Monarchs only live for a few weeks after they begin to reproduce.

By the end of April, the monarchs that overwintered in Mexico will have reached the end of their lives. A new generation will complete the migration.

A Life's Journey By the end of April, the monarchs that overwintered in Mexico will have reached the end of their lives. A new generation will complete the migration.

A New Generation Begins In one short month, the egg becomes an adult butterfly. This generation of monarchs continues the journey north.

Monarch numbers are at their lowest point at this time of year. The old generation is dying. A new generation must grow and survive. When and where will monarchs travel to find what they need this spring? Track their migration and report your observations.

Spring is a Critical Time for Monarchs Monarch numbers are at their lowest point at this time of year. The old generation is dying. A new generation must grow and survive. When and where will monarchs travel to find what they need this spring? Track their migration and report your observations.

Report Your Sightings


First Adult report \| map \| list	Milkweed report \| map \| list	What to Report Report
		After first sightings, continue to report all monarchs — adults, eggs, and larvae.
First Egg report \| map \| list	First Larva report \| map \| list

Next Update April 21, 2016