Wildlife Wednesday 09/04/2024

Happy #WildlifeWednesday! Monarch migration is underway!

Eastern monarch butterflies are currently flying through Ohio on their way from their summer breeding grounds in Canada to their overwintering areas in Mexico. The monarchs will migrate thousands of miles, traveling up to 100 miles each day during the months of September and October, reaching their roosting sites in November.

The migrating butterflies rely on steady food sources along their journey, including native milkweed and flowers. Loss of grassland and prairie habitats have contributed to the decline of these charismatic butterflies as well as other pollinating insects such as bees, wasps, and moths. 

Late summer and early fall (right now!)  is the perfect time to gather seeds from milkweed pods for planting. Providing more habitat and monarch “waystations” along their flyways contributes to their conservation. Native milkweed species to plant in Ohio include common, swamp, butterfly, and poke milkweed. Milkweed is the sole host plant to the iconic monarch caterpillar, which feeds exclusively on the leaves.

Monarchs migrate both individually and in groups, sometimes congregating together in spectacularly enormous numbers to rest and re-fuel, a dazzling sight to nature lovers and photographers. Monarchs can be seen any time of day, though morning is better viewing when the temperatures are very hot. They can be seen flying in the air overhead, but the bright orange beauties can also be spotted in trees, bushes, grasses, and gardens.  

The Wilderness Center is a great place to look for monarchs. Pictured is one on a milkweed plant along the walkway to our Interpretive Building.