If you want to see massive numbers of butterflies all congregating in one place, you have to go to Mexico… right?
Nooope!
It is actually possible to see dozens, hundreds or even thousands of these winged jewels in one place without needing a passport. And for some of us, without even needing to get on a plane.
The trick is knowing when, and where you need to be. So if you are looking for a nature vacation that feels little exotic, but doesn’t take you far from home, maybe because you are avoiding air travel and COVID-19, or perhaps you just don’t want to go so far away, this is a good way to do it. Who doesn’t love butterflies? And the places where you can find them have plenty of other wonderful natural attractions to enjoy as well.
Which Butterflies?
The butterfly species we are talking about here, the one that is the easiest to see in large numbers in the USA, is the Monarch Butterfly. And that is because they migrate en masse, every spring and fall.
Most Monarchs will travel all the way to Mexico for the winter. This is the phenomenon that they are best known for. But, there are a few populations that don’t migrate that far. In fact, there are some populations that don’t migrate at all, such as Hawaii. But the Hawaiian butterflies are a topic for another time.
And while there are lots of other butterfly species in the USA and Canada, it is only the Monarchs that gather together in groups at predictable times in predictable places.
This is a male Monarch, you can tell by the two black dots on the lower wings. The females don’t have those dots.
Why?
All butterflies that live in temperate climates have their own way of surviving the winters. Some overwinter as eggs and hatch in the spring. Some hibernate as caterpillars. Others are able to survive the cold from inside their chrysalis.
And a few even hibernate hidden away in holes and crevices as adults. You may have noticed that if there is a long warm streak in the middle of winter, some bugs, including a few butterflies, will come out. Those are are the species that overwinter as adults. They are able to wake up whenever it is warm enough, and they are always the first to show up in the spring.
The Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly spends the winter hiding in the leaves on the ground as a caterpillar.
But other butterflies, like the Monarch, simply leave the area when it gets cold. And through some amazing process, they have discovered habitats in Mexico, 3000 miles away, that provide the perfect conditions for them to overwinter. They still hibernate, or at least a form of semi hibernation, but they do it in a place that doesn’t drop below freezing. And once winter is over, they set off again to North America where the milkweed plants for their caterpillars grows.
The egg of a Monarch Butterfly is tiny, no bigger than the tip of a pencil. But if you look closely at the leaves of a milkweed plant, you might just find a few.
The thing that is so incredible about this, is that it is all genetic. Each migratory butterfly will only travel to and from Mexico once, yet each new generation manages to find the same Fir Trees that their great great grandparents found.
And yes, it was their great great grandparents, not their parents. Each year there are four generations of Monarchs, three of which do not migrate at all. These three generations each only live for 4-6 weeks and spend their entire lives in the northern breeding grounds. Only the fourth and final generation of each year (which live for about 9 months) will make the amazing journey to, and from, Mexico. Yet despite no parental guidance, and four generations difference, the butterflies still find the exact same trees. Amazing.
When?
One of the most important factors in finding large numbers of butterflies is knowing when to go. Monarchs are around all over the USA and Canada during the summer. But they are scattered. It is unlikely to see more than a few at any one time.
If you are visiting the summer range of the Monarch (essentially all of the USA and most of southern Canada) take a look on the leaves of any milkweed plant you pass. You might just get lucky and see the boldly striped Monarch Caterpillar munching away, or find a well hidden green and gold chrysalis. But this is not the best time to see big groups of adult butterflies together.
No one really knows what the gold spots are for, but the theory is that it has something to do with breathing. This chrysalis is getting close to emerging, the veins in the wings are faintly visible through the green. Before it emerges, the chrysalis will become entirely translucent and the black and orange wings will show through.
The spring migration, which begins in April, is the more scattered of the two annual migrations. And the butterflies generally only fly as far as the southern USA before laying their eggs. So seeing huge numbers is less likely, though not impossible. The best chance to see big groups in the spring is to visit southern, coastal Texas or the southern tip of Florida in April or May.
It is the fall migration that brings on the large numbers. Most butterflies that emerge in late August or after are the migratory generation. Their wings are slightly longer and more tapered than the summer butterflies, and they are sexually immature. The migration begins in September, and hits its peak in early October. Right when the weather starts to turn cold and the fall flowers are at the end of their season. Northern butterflies begin the journey first, and the numbers grow the further south they get.
As the migration season builds, the number of butterflies traveling together grows from a few, to many.
Where?
California
There are two main Monarch populations in the USA. Eastern and Western. And they are divided by the Rocky Mountains. The Eastern population is the population famous for their epic annual journey all the way from Canada and the Northern USA to Mexico, then back in the spring. But the Western population also migrates, just not all the way to Mexico. You can see these western butterflies in their wintering grounds in California.
The butterflies are so predictable in their choice of location that the best place to see them has been named after them. Monarch Butterfly Grove is located in Pismo Beach, California. This grove is about halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Between October and February there are around 25,000 butterflies living here. This is the most Mexico-like setting you can find in the USA because the butterflies are truly over-wintering, not just passing through. They swarm the branches of their chosen host trees and enter a state of semi-hibernation.
Florida
There is a small permanent population of butterflies in southern Florida. This population isn’t over wintering like the butterflies in California and Mexico. These are year round residents and actually continue to breed throughout the winter, though in smaller amounts.
But during the fall migration the butterfly numbers in southern Florida rise drastically because many of the individuals that spend the summer on the East Coast will pass through Florida on their way to Mexico. So, briefly, there are two populations of Monarchs in Florida. Residents and migrants. Mid October is the best time to look for large numbers of butterflies in Southern Florida.
Midwest
Another way to see lots of Monarchs is to follow their migration route. And one of the primary migration corridors runs from Canada, down the shores of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois, then south through the corn belt and into Louisiana and Texas.
The prevailing northwestern wind in this area helps guide the migration through the corridor. Plus the abundance of wildflowers and water along the way provide the food they need to make such an epic journey.
Neither California nor Florida sees much seasonal change each year, but the Midwest does. This area is quite pretty in the early fall. There are numerous prairies and open fields full of wildflowers, the trees put on a colorful show in early October, and Lake Michigan itself is very scenic. And it is full of migrating wildlife, not just butterflies.
What to Look for on the Migration Route
Open, natural spaces along the migration route are the best place to find Monarchs. State parks, prairies, and forest preserves are the best spots to look. These are places where the fall wildflowers bloom in abundance. Asters, Maximilian Sunflowers, Goldenrod, Joe Pye Weed, Black Eyed Susans, and any Milkweed that still has flowers on it are some of the plant species that best attract butterflies. And they grow in abundance here.
Purple Asters and fall foliage along the shores of Lake Michigan. The perfect habitat for migrating butterflies.
As the groups of Monarchs grow, the show gets more dramatic. During the day time it is very common to see fields full of flapping orange and black wings. They flit around from flower to flower in large numbers. But at night they roost. And they do that in groups. If you are lucky and find a roost, it is an awesome sight to see. Bushes, or branches of a tree covered in resting butterflies. Unfortunately, finding roosts isn’t easy.
Like the Fir Trees in Mexico, it is not uncommon for butterflies to use the same trees as roosts every year. Though it is hard to predict when they will be there. Sometimes a few will show up up for just one night, other times the roost will be full for several weeks. No one has figured out the pattern yet.
But if you plan your days to include hiking in open wild areas, you are sure to see many of these beautiful butterflies passing through on their amazing journey. If you see areas with lots of wildflowers, spend some extra time there watching. Flowers and butterflies together makes for a beautiful sight.
Bonus
Another good thing about the migration corridors, also called Flyways, is that is it not only butterflies using them. And the Midwestern corridor in particular is an awesome area to see large numbers of migratory birds as well as butterflies. This is the busiest of all the North American Flyways. And since birds tend to use the same nature spaces the butterflies do, you can see quite a bit of migrating wildlife all in the same area.
Birders flock to the Midwest (also called Mississippi or Great Lakes) Flyway in the fall. And this is also the best spot for butterfly watchers. This whole are is just full of wildlife during the spring and fall migrations.
Migrating swans in a forest preserve in Lake County Illinois
Go See Some Butterflies!
So perhaps this is the year to take a nature trip to see some gorgeous butterflies. And while you are at it, visit some beautiful natural attractions in the area. Head for the Midwest, Florida, or California instead of Mexico. This is the year for travel close to home. Make it a little more exotic with Monarch Butterflies.
Save It For Later
