By Kimberly Gentry
It was a drizzly Saturday morning, but that didn’t stop Laura Wood from inspecting the pollinator garden outside her school in Fuquay-Varina. She beamed with excitement as she walked around each garden plot with hopes monarchs may soon stop by.
The gardens at Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School (LHECMES) comprise a small section along a vast and special “highway.” Instead of cars, it’s traveled by orange and black monarchs during their migratory path as they seek food, places to rest and, during the spring, milkweed for their eggs.
Like all butterflies, the monarch is a wisp of a creature. Small, delicate and weighing next to nothing. When it comes to monarchs, though, add the word mighty to that description. These beautiful butterflies travel 50-100 miles in a day and several thousand in total as part of their annual migration across North America.
The monarch migration is considered a natural wonder, and the eastern flight path includes North Carolina. Spring and fall migration timing can vary, but generally, monarchs can be spotted in N.C. beginning as early as late March and continuing into midsummer and then again from late September through October.
“The process of monarch migration is truly magical,” said Wood, who is the school’s environmental connections integration specialist.
Up to 100 million monarchs migrate annually according to estimates by Monarch Watch, a national, non-profit conservation and research program based at the University of Kansas. Monarchs migrate further than any tropical butterfly and are the only butterfly to annually complete a two-way migration over such a great distance, according to the organization.
“Monarchs are pretty unique,” said Kristen Baum, director of Monarch Watch and a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the university. “We have other butterflies that migrate, but it’s a much shorter distance.”
Collectively, habitats along the monarch’s migratory routes are commonly called the “Butterfly Highway,” a conservation program of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation (NCWF). This state-wide conservation initiative, which began in 2016, aims to restore habitats lost to urbanization and create a network of native flowering plants to support monarchs and other pollinators.
With so many miles to fly, it’s no wonder travel-related concepts, phrases and actual roadways are associated with monarchs.
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), for instance, works with state transportation departments from Texas to Minnesota to support its Monarch Highway habitat program along the Interstate 35 corridor, which corresponds with the butterfly’s central flyway.
And, in Illinois, the pollinator-friendly habitats of the Route 66 Monarch Flyway follow along the historic road’s scenic by-way from Chicago to St. Louis.
Begin Navigation, 3,000 Miles to Reach Your Destination
The monarch migration onramp starts in southern Canada and northern regions of the U.S. Monarchs spend their summer in these areas enjoying comfortable temperatures until the beginning of August when environmental cues, such as day length and temperature change, trigger the need to head south. Monarchs can’t survive harsh winters, so by the millions they metaphorically pack up and hit the road, or rather the skies.
Monarchs that follow the Western North American migration path overwinter along the California coast. Monarchs flying along the Eastern North American migration path head to mountains of central Mexico.
By November, the monarchs reach their overwintering destinations and it’s time to rest. They roost in trees, covering a single tree by the tens of thousands.
Come early spring, vacation is over and it’s time to head home. During the spring migration monarchs will pass through N.C. again.
As the monarchs travel back, they mate and lay eggs along the way. The resulting butterflies, which are the first- and second-generation descendants of the overwintering monarchs, will reach their northern breeding grounds by summer.
Monarchs then breed throughout the summer, producing two to three more generations, until August comes and it’s time to begin the fall migration south again. The only exception to the annual migration are the monarchs that permanently live in Florida.
Monarchs make the long journey south in a single generation, meaning a single butterfly travels the entire way, which could be up to 3,000 miles, according to U.S. Forest Service (USFS) research.
Amazingly, these monarchs that have never migrated south before instinctively travel the same path and roost in the same trees as the generations before them.
Exactly how this internal homing device works remains a mystery, but researchers suspect it may be a combination of the sun’s position and the magnetic pull of the earth, according to USFS.
Construction Ahead: Maintaining the Monarch Highway
For these migratory “road trips,” monarchs need habitats — places to stop for food, rest and to complete their life cycle. It takes a lot of energy to fly 50-100 miles per day, so monarchs seek out habitats with nectar-rich flowering plants. The nectar has the energy and nutrition they need to power up and refuel.
Habitats with milkweed are absolutely crucial for monarchs. Part of the monarch butterfly life cycle is the larvae (caterpillar) stage and milkweed is the sole food source for monarch caterpillars.
With the loss of natural habitat through urbanization, stops filled with nectar and milkweed are harder to find and monarch numbers have declined as a result.
The NWF estimates the monarch population has dropped 90% since 1990, according to its website. The organization points to this as an indicator of habitat decline causing stress for monarchs and other pollinators in general.
“I would think of it as a ‘flagship species,’ as kind of being an ambassador for the larger community that uses that same type of habitat,” said Baum.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFW) notes on its website that the number of monarchs in overwintering sites has declined since communities and scientists began tracking them 20 years ago.
Baum explained that this is determined by comparing measurements of the areas where monarchs swarm in the trees each migration.
The status of the monarch population is an ongoing topic. In Dec. 2020, the USFW did not include the monarchs for listing under the Endangered Species Act, stating it was “warranted but precluded” because of other higher priorities. The listing is currently being reevaluated.
Since December 12, 2024, the USFW has been seeking public comment on its proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species, as well as designate critical overwintering habitat along the California coast and species-specific protections and conservation efforts. Once the comment period ends, the USFW will “evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the monarch butterfly.”
There are two protective categories for plants and animals under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 — endangered or threatened. An endangered species is one that’s “in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.” A threatened species is “likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.”
To determine designations, the USFW uses a priority system to direct its “efforts toward the plants and animals in the greatest need” and “the degree or magnitude of threat is the highest criterion”
In its most recent assessment for monarchs, the USFW concluded that “by 2080 the probability of extinction for eastern monarchs ranges from 56 to 74% and the probability of extinction for western monarchs is greater than 95%.”
Next Exit, North Carolina
Residents and communities can join conservation efforts by creating stops, a.k.a. habitats, along the highway. Together, these habitats not only help monarchs survive, but also other pollinators, such as bees and birds.
This is the exact thinking behind the pit stops of NCWF’s statewide Butterfly Highway program and the national waystation program by Monarch Watch.
“By protecting the monarch, you also protect other critical pollinators,” said Alden Picard, a conservation coordinator with NCWF, an affiliate of the NWF.
Picard noted that habitats of all sizes, whether in small planting containers or large public gardens, work together to help monarchs and other pollinators.
“What happens when everybody gets involved, is we start to glue back together and connect corridors of habitat with our pollinator pit stops,” he said.
“Like it says in the name, it gives them a highway, a corridor, areas to complete their life cycle, in an otherwise urbanized and fragmented landscape. So, it’s kind of like the glue. These pollinator pit stops are the glue for conservation. And it starts with one and it just builds, and it snowballs.”
NCWF has over 3,400 registered Butterfly Highway pit stops across North Carolina, as well as some in neighboring states. One such stop is at LHECMES. The monarch pit stop is among the school’s collection of habitats and flower and vegetable gardens. The school also participates in the Monarch Waystation Program by Monarch Watch, which has more than 47,000 waystations across the country, and the Wildlife Habitat program by the NWF.
The school’s gardens are part of its living laboratories and integrated, hands-on curriculum and clubs. Wood shared stories of students excitedly gathering and replanting milkweed seeds, conducting insect studies, learning about native plants and discovering monarch butterfly chrysalises tucked under milkweed leaves and exterior windows.
“We want students to have an understanding of the natural world by seeing it and experiencing it, not just seeing it in a video or reading about it in a textbook,” said Wood about why the school participates in monarch and wildlife habitat programs.
The students’ experiences have also included tagging newly emerged monarchs as part of Monarch Watch’s national, large-scale community science project. In this program, people tag monarchs and release them, as well as record any tagged monarchs they encounter.
“We got lucky,” said Wood. “We were watching some chrysalises. We put a net over them before they emerged…Well, we thought if we put this upside down over the plant maybe when it emerges, we’ll be able to contain it enough. We went out and checked on it a couple times each day for a couple of days. And, finally we’re like, ‘Oh, we got it!’
“We had them in the butterfly net, I took them around to any classroom that would have me. Knocking on every door, ‘I have monarchs can I come in?’ Whatever they were doing math, science, whatever they were doing…’Look what we have, we have monarchs!’”
Wood couldn’t help but smile when recalling the story and the students’ zeal over these special classroom visitors. And, that the students’ enthusiasm for monarchs and pollinators spreads to their families who then grow their own habitats or get involved with those at the school.
“We strive to connect our students and families with the environment through curriculum and hands-on opportunities at school and into the community to raise awareness and education to be better environmental stewards,” said Wood.
Sara Sova, the school’s PTA president, agrees. “Our students are given the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than themselves by honoring and respecting nature around them.”
Sova described the monarch butterfly garden as a tangible way for students to see how their efforts, even small ones, can have a huge impact on the world as a whole.
“Our family and many others have been encouraged to create pollinator gardens at our own homes. Ones filled with their favorite flowers, a watering dish and a safe place to rest. Some families have even registered to be on the monarch highway. Again, our students and families are learning together that even something as small as a watering dish can make a difference for these precious travelers.”
Baum also noted how monarchs connect people. “Monarchs are definitely unique for many aspects, the migration being one of those,” she said. “And they’re also a great connector of people.
“The number of different organizations and groups that have come together to support monarchs and even thinking about, you know, so many classrooms in K through 12 that have included monarchs. So, it’s such a huge part of lots of people’s lives, they have monarch stories they remember.”
The gardens and habitats at LHECMES have served as community connectors through partnerships with organizations, such as the South Wake Conservationists, N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Wake Audubon Society and the Fuquay-Varina Garden Club.
Local resident Angela French was one of the Fuquay-Varina Garden Club members who helped with the school’s monarch butterfly garden installation. In addition to grooming garden beds, the club also provided milkweed. French, who supports monarchs in her own garden and as a community advocate, is excited about the growing interest in monarchs and pollinators.
“I think the monarch butterfly is so beautiful and because of its vast migration it represents so many of the challenges impacting pollinators and the natural world that we can bring to people’s attention,” she said. “Monarchs are in peril, and we must do what we can to support their life journey.”
French is especially excited that the town is developing a 7,000 square-foot public garden. As part of the town’s efforts to support monarchs and pollinators, the ongoing garden project adjacent to South Park will feature more than 20 varieties of native, pollinator-friendly plants such as purple coneflower, lemon mint, New England aster and black-eyed Susan.
Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill said the side entrance to South Park, situated along Judd Parkway, was carefully selected to create a haven for local butterfly populations and serve as a visually stunning focal point for the community.
“This thoughtful design choice harmonizes natural beauty with one of our busiest parks, showcasing the importance of environmental stewardship and aesthetic appeal,” he said.
The town already has large, flower-filled planters lining its main streets and is exploring other projects, such as the viability of growing wildflowers in some road medians. The wildflowers will not only attract butterflies, but also have the added benefit of beautifying the area and reducing the need to mow.
Massengill is among leaders across the country who took the NWF’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. The NWF started the program in 2015 and since then more than 600 mayors and local community leaders have taken the pledge, which involves creating habitats and encouraging residents to do the same.
The pledge was first brought to Massengill’s attention thanks to the annual letter-writing campaign of Katie Thompson’s third grade students at Pine Springs Preparatory Academy in Holly Springs. Thompson, who teaches global education, added the activity to her pollinator lessons in 2018 resulting in 17 mayors signing the pledge so far.
Join the Highway Crew
If you want to help monarchs by adding your own nectar and milkweed-filled habitat along the butterfly highway, here are some suggestions to get you started. Plus, ways to learn more about monarchs in general:
• Check out the website for NCWF (ncwf.org) and Monarch Watch (monarchwatch.org) for tips and tools to create and register habitats that help monarchs along their journey.
• Fill your garden with plants native to your area. Pollinators native to an area evolved alongside these plants and their life cycles work in tandem. For instance, plants blooming exactly when monarchs and other pollinators need nectar.
• Plant a variety of brightly colored, nectar-rich flowering native plants that attract monarchs and other pollinators. Purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, cardinal flower, garden phlox, and aster varieties are popular and easy-to-grow choices for this area.
• Have something blooming from spring through summer. Goldenrod is a nice addition to a garden since it blooms in the late summer and early fall after many other plants have stopped.
• Plant native milkweed varieties, such as common milkweed, swamp milkweed and butterfly weed. Both common and swamp milkweeds spread by seed and rhizomes (runners), so those are best for larger gardens. Butterfly weed does not spread by rhizomes, so it works well in smaller gardens. It also does well in areas with drier soil and lots of sun. Milkweeds are also flowering nectar plants, which benefit additional pollinators.
• Look for native milkweed at plant nurseries and plant sales, such as those at the J. Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh. Through its Butterfly Highway program, NCWF offers seed packets for sale online that include two types of milkweed and a variety of native flowering plants. Monarch Watch has an online Milkweed Market for buying flats of plant plugs, including a free program for schools and habitat restoration sites.
• Avoid planting tropical milkweed. Since tropical milkweed isn’t native to the U.S., it blooms at the wrong time and can disrupt the monarchs’ migration. It can also carry a harmful parasite.
• Participate in Monarch Watch’s ongoing monarch tagging program. Check the organization’s website for information about tagging kits, how to tag and record sightings online.
• Sign up for the Butterfly Highway newsletter by NCWF for a variety of helpful tips and interesting stories.
• Track any monarch sighting with Journey North (www.journeynorth.org). Journey North, based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, is described as the largest citizen-based science program in North America. The program relies on everyday people to report monarch sightings, which become part of an online searchable map. Sightings include descriptions of monarch activity and photographs.
