We’ve had Monarch butterflies in our Arizona yard recently. They may be migrating south to Mexico, north-west to California or they may overwinter here if the conditions are favourable.
The Monarch’s Southern fall migration is made by a single butterfly that will live for 6 to 8 months. The Northern spring migration will take multiple generations of butterflies. These butterflies live only 2 to 6 weeks – a lot of their energy goes into producing the next generation of butterflies and migrating north.
Scientists believe that the Monarch butterflies navigate by using an internal Sun compass. They use the time of day and the sun’s position on the horizon to find their way.
I think that is wonderfully magical, because I sometimes have trouble navigating out of the parking lot of the big mall…
The Flutter Files
Scientific Name: Danaus plexippus
Common Name: Monarch Butterfly
Migration: In Summer from as far north as Southern Canada to wintering grounds in Southern California or Mexico.
Date Seen: November 14, 2016
Location: Central Arizona
Amusives 
Beautiful photos. The Monarch’s migration is magical to me too. I hadn’t realized there were 2 of them though. Any how, to think of the delicate butterflies crossing continents and oceans is truly a feat of divine magic. 😀
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Apparently the Monarch will winter in California, Mexico or Florida. The Rocky Mountains create a divide that determines where the Monarchs go!
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