With their famous orange wings and incredible migration, monarch butterflies are one of nature’s most fascinating travelers. You can see them up close at Majestic Mariposas, Sept. 27 – Nov. 16 at Desert Botanical Garden. Learn more about these fascinating creatures before your visit!
Life Span
Most monarchs live only 2 to 6 weeks, but each fall a special “super generation” is born that can survive 6 to 9 months. These butterflies are built to endure long journeys and begin migrating in September.
Migration
Monarchs follow two main flyways in North America. Eastern monarchs breed east of the Rockies and migrate to the mountains of central Mexico. Western monarchs breed west of the Rockies and spend the winter along the California coast.
Arizona is a unique crossroads. Some monarchs head to California or Mexico while others remain in the state’s low desert. The super generation can travel up to 3,000 miles in a single trip, flying 100 miles a day with help from air currents. Scientists believe they navigate using the position of the sun and Earth’s magnetic field.
Conservation
Monarch numbers are falling. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service may list them as threatened under the Endangered Species Act with a decision expected in 2025 or 2026. Western monarchs dropped to just over 9,000 this past winter, the second lowest since monitoring began in 1997. Without action they face a 98 to 99 percent chance of extinction in the next 60 years.
The Garden supports monarch conservation through programs like the Great Milkweed Grow Out and Desert Refuge, which restore habitat and engage the community.
Cultural Significance
In Michoacán and the State of Mexico monarchs are seen as the souls of loved ones returning during Día de Muertos. For the Purépecha and Mazahua peoples, the butterflies also marked the time to harvest corn.
Visit Majestic Mariposas
This fall, step inside the Garden’s butterfly pavilion and walk among hundreds of free-flying butterflies. Learn about their migration, discover ways to help pollinators at home and celebrate the cultural traditions that honor these remarkable creatures.
