Table of Contents
How far does a butterfly travel?
Monarchs can travel between 50-100 miles a day; it can take up to two months to complete their journey. The farthest ranging monarch butterfly recorded traveled 265 miles in one day.
Why do butterflies migrate to Mexico?
Most people familiar with monarch butterflies know that they migrate to central Mexico to overwinter. In the volcanic mountains, forests of fir trees, now protected by the Mexican government, were found to host the monarch butterflies in the winter.
Where do butterflies go?
They usually go to the same places they do for the night. Some butterflies hide under large leaves, some crawl down into dense leaves or under rocks, and some just sit head down on grass stems or bushes with wings held tightly.
How far is the monarch butterfly migration?
Flying up to 2,500 miles from the US and Canada where they breed, all the way down to the forests in central Mexico where they hibernate, the monarch’s migratory pattern is the most highly evolved of any known species of their kind.
Can butterflies fly in rain?
Rain doesn’t harm butterflies. But they rarely fly in heavy rain. Instead, they land and wait for the rain to stop and for their bodies to dry before they fly again. If you MUST release in the rain, do the same as for low temperatures.
Where do Butterflys go in the winter?
The monarch butterflies will spend their winter hibernation in Mexico and some parts of Southern California where it is warm all year long. If the monarch lives in the Eastern states, usually east of the Rocky Mountains, it will migrate to Mexico and hibernate in oyamel fir trees.
Where do monarch butterflies go on their migration?
Many monarchs from the eastern population travel all the way to the Sierra Madre mountains in central Mexico. A monarch born in Canada would have the farthest journey of all, nearly 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles).
How many miles does the painted lady Butterfly Fly?
Some migrating butterflies, such as the painted lady and cabbage butterfly, fly only a few hundred miles, while others, such as the monarch, travel thousands of miles. Monarchs are considered the long-distance champions of butterfly migration, traveling as many as 4000 miles round trip.
What should the temperature be for butterflies to fly?
If they get too cold, they are unable to fly and must warm up their muscles in order to resume flight. Butterflies can fly as long as the air is between 60°-108° F, although temperatures between 82°-100° F are best. If the temperature drops too low, they may seek a light colored rock, sand or a leaf in a sunny spot and bask.