Can a Late-Season Monarch Make it to Mexico?
Despite the fact that it’s mid-October, monarchs are still migrating down from the north. They were even reported last week in places like Ontario, Minnesota, Michigan, Vermont and New York. When fall weather suddenly turns cold, many students write to say they’re worried about the butterflies they’re raising in their classrooms. Is it possible for a late-season monarch to make it to Mexico? You can answer this question yourself by analyzing tagging data. Tag recoveries are posted on the Monarch Watch site. (A “recovery” means the tagged butterfly was captured again later.) Look through the records and find recoveries of monarchs that were tagged in your state or province. What is the latest date a tagged monarch has made it to Mexico?
