What Species of Butterflies Migrate Each Fall?

Monarchs

• Arguably the most famous of butterflies, the monarch has an annual migration that has become a public spectacle. The butterflies have a range that covers north and south America and are the only butterflies to have both a north and south migration pattern. Due to their ability to fly long distances, monarchs have been found in the United Kingdom and in Australia and New Zealand. The North American migration is the most visible, with millions of the insects moving from northern summer habitats to California and Mexico. This is a multi-generational migration. The butterflies that leave the northern climates die before returning, and the eggs they lay are the ones that return as butterflies, sometimes taking two or three generations to make the trip.

Red Admiral

• The name Red Admiral comes from the distinctive red-orange band across the black wings of this type of butterfly. Considered human friendly, these fast-darting butterflies will approach and even land on people. Males are territorial and patrol an area to search for potential mates. These butterflies have a global range and may have more than one hatching per season in temperate climates. They flee during colder months and migrate south in the fall, the location depending on the geographic area the butterflies inhabit.

Common Buckeye

• A chestnut-colored butterfly, the Common Buckeye has distinctive large ringed spots on both fore and hind wings. In summer they are commonly found inhabiting most of the U.S. and some of Canada, and in fall begin a mass migration to the southern areas of the U.S., commonly in Florida. Also common in Mexico, Common Buckeyes are often found migrating alongside the mighty monarch.

Painted Lady

• This butterfly is distinctively orange and brown with brilliantly colored wings and a rust-colored body that blends into the central wing color. Residents of every continent except Antarctica and South America, the painted lady travels long distances, from northern Africa into Europe for summers, and in North America from the southern states north. They fly in an odd screw pattern that easily identifies them.