The great trip
3,000miles, up to, from Canada to Mexico
8months a "super generation" monarch lives
2-6weeks a summer monarch lives
3-4generations to make the trip back north
They spend the winter packed together on fir trees in the mountains of central Mexico.
How they find their way
- Read the sunA built-in compass in their eyes and brain
- Keep timeAn internal clock corrects for the sun's movement
- Sense the magnetic fieldA backup compass on cloudy days
- Arrive where they've never beenThe route is inherited, not learned
Milkweed matters
Why milkweed
- Only plant monarch caterpillars eat
- Its poison makes monarchs taste bad to birds
- The bright orange warns predators away
How to help
- Plant native milkweed
- Add fall-blooming flowers for fuel
- Skip pesticides in the garden
- Arkansas and Tennessee sit on the flyway
Remember
Plant milkweed and you're helping one of nature's greatest journeys.
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Answer key
- Where do eastern monarchs spend the winter?Mountain forests of central MexicoPacked together on fir trees in central Mexico.
- How long can the migrating "super generation" live?8 monthsAbout 8 months, versus 2 to 6 weeks for summer monarchs.
- What's the only plant monarch caterpillars eat?MilkweedMilkweed's toxins also protect them from birds.
- How do monarchs navigate?A sun compass, an internal clock and Earth's magnetic fieldNo monarch has made the trip before; the route is inherited.
- How many generations does the trip back north take?3 to 4Several short-lived generations carry the trip north.