At this very moment Vermont Monarchs (Danaus plexippus ) are preparing for a very long, one way flight to the mountains of Mexico. This “super” generation of monarchs is the 3-4th hatch related to those that travelled to Vermont this past spring. Covering around 50 miles during the day they will roost at night, continuing onward to their final destination, high in the Mexican fir forests and overwinter until breeding time, sometime in March/April. (US Forest Service)
This Monarch caterpillar is feeding on Milkweed that I have left growing wherever it has cropped up in my gardens. It will soon form a chrysalis and metamorphose into a Monarch butterfly 10-12 days later!
At this time the Monarch is not considered an Endangered or Threatened Species, although populations have been noticeably decreasing over the last 20 years. (US Fish and Wildlife)
