Monarch migration direction

[TreeFrog]

2005 was the first year I was here in the fall, and I swear it seems to me that the monarchs were going west that year. That would be, I guess, toward the well-known Mexican mountain destination.

Each year since, they have gone east,IIRC. All the butterflies I've seen this year are moving resolutely east, too.

Anyone care to comment? Prior years? Alternating directions?

 

[SHELLY]

2005 was the first year I was here in the fall, and I swear it seems to me that the monarchs were going west that year. That would be, I guess, toward the well-known Mexican mountain destination.

Each year since, they have gone east,IIRC. All the butterflies I've seen this year are moving resolutely east, too.

Anyone care to comment? Prior years? Alternating directions?

They went to Disneyworld one year, instead of Mexico, and loved it...have been going back every year since.

.

 

[Zirondelle]

I know the Western Monarchs head to Mexico, but there's been some discussion whether the Eastern ones do....some scientists think that they just overwinter in the trees along the Florida Gulf Coast.

 

[TreeFrog]

They went to Disneyworld one year, instead of Mexico, and loved it...have been going back every year since.

.

Uh, thanks Shel.

 

[Kurt]

Maybe they are looking for new habitat.

This program is fascinating. I had always heard about the "Monarch miracle", but never fully understood it until I saw this. The single journey to Mexico is wondrous, but the multi-generational trip back north is bumfuzzling.

Teaser

YouTube - NOVA | The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies | PBS

Full program - NOVA | The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies | Watch the Program | PBS

 

[Smiling JOe]

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/

 

[NotDeadYet]

Monarch Butterfly in North America

 

[scooterbug44]

2005 was the first year I was here in the fall, and I swear it seems to me that the monarchs were going west that year. That would be, I guess, toward the well-known Mexican mountain destination.

Each year since, they have gone east,IIRC. All the butterflies I've seen this year are moving resolutely east, too.

Anyone care to comment? Prior years? Alternating directions?

How could you tell what direction they were going? The butterflies I see (even in large groups) aren't exactly flying in a straight line.

There were some very pretty varieties out on Saturday!

 

[NewUrbanGirl]

There were some very pretty varieties out on Saturday!

Yes, we saw these loiterers at Seaside. They were fantastic.