Every autumn, one of the most astonishing natural events unfolds right above us. Yet many of us barely notice. Monarch Butterflies, with delicate flashes of orange and black wings, make an epic journey that stretches from Canada all the way to the mountains of central Mexico. It is almost unbelievable that something so fragile could be so resilient. But year after year, these tiny travelers follow a path that crosses through Oklahoma and Georgia in September and October. This yearly expedition puts our yards and communities right in the middle of one of nature’s most amazing migrations!
Here is what makes the Monarch migration even more fascinating! The Monarchs that head south to Mexico are not the same ones that headed north the previous spring. It takes four or five generations of butterflies to complete the full round trip. In spring, a new generation hatches in the northern United States and Canada, beginning the journey southward. Along the way, these Monarchs pause to breed and lay eggs on their one essential host plant, the Milkweed. The eggs hatch into caterpillars, which gorge themselves on milkweed leaves, often stripping the plant bare in a day or two. The caterpillar then transforms into a chrysalis, and finally emerges as a new adult. That cycle - egg to caterpillar to chrysalis (pupa) to butterfly - is a miracle of Creation in itself.
It is a complete transformation from a crawling caterpillar to a beautiful, vibrant, Monarch Butterfly! By the time fall arrives, this “super generation” of Monarchs hatches from its pupa. Unlike their short-lived parents and grandparents, this final generation can live up to eight months, strong enough to fly thousands of miles to overwinter in the oyamel fir forests of Central Mexico.
So here is the key. Monarchs can only continue their amazing migration if they have the right plants waiting for them at every stage of their journey. Milkweed is absolutely critical! It is the only plant Monarch caterpillars can eat! Without milkweed, there’s no next generation. Adult Monarchs also need nectar plants along their path, from goldenrods in Oklahoma to blazing stars and asters in Georgia. These flowering native plants are the refueling stations that keep Monarchs going, mile after mile. When we plant native milkweeds, coneflowers, ironweed, Joe-Pye weed, and goldenrods in our gardens, we’re not only decorating our yards, we are creating stepping-stones for Monarchs as they migrate. Our small patch of native plants may be the very spot where a Monarch pauses to drink, lay eggs, or even begin the next leg of its journey south! By planting Native Plants in our yards and neighborhoods, we are being Good Neighbors to the Monarchs!
In a world where so much feels out of our control, it’s comforting to know that something as simple as planting a milkweed or a cluster of native wildflowers can connect us to a migration story thousands of miles long. Each fall, when those orange wings flutter through Georgia skies or across Oklahoma prairies, we are reminded that the Monarchs’ story is also our story, a story of resilience and connection. By Caring for Creation, we are Partnering with our Creator!
