If you can remember through the last 20 or so years, monarch butterflies haven’t been doing too well. Since at least the ’80s, monarch populations have been in decline, and we’ve been worried about the eventual downfall of our favorite migrating butterflies. In the last few years, however, there have been millions of monarch butterflies headed straight for Kansas, more than we’ve seen in a long time. There are definitely millions of monarch butterflies in Kansas that you can see as the weather begins to get warmer.
Have you heard about the stunning monarch butterfly and its journey before? This butterfly isn’t only a pretty picture, it’s also a long-distance traveling species, with a road map installed into its very DNA.
Sharon Mollerus/Flickr
Kansas could get millions coming through, as the 300 million estimated butterfly population in Mexico makes its way north.
Rafael Saldana/Flickr
Every year, generations of monarch butterflies migrate from Mexico to as far north as Canada, stopping through many of our states on the way, Kansas being one of them.
Rafael Saldana/Flickr
Their migration path takes them straight through Kansas, with plenty of wildflowers. If you flock to spots with wildflowers between March and May, you should see plenty of these beauties.
Harald Supfle/Wikimedia Commons
Once they land in Kansas, they’ll be on the hunt for flowers of all kinds, including their favorite plant, milkweed. Milkweed is essential to the health of the migration group, and it’s where they prefer to lay their eggs and feast as caterpillars.
Scott Costello/Flickr
Once they’ve eaten their fill, they turn into butterflies and start moving north, mating along the way. We feel blessed to be one of their stopping points along the way.
USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr
When we see them in the states, many areas have locations where butterflies are delicately plucked off of the trees, tagged in a special spot with a very small sticker that doesn’t affect their flight at all.
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr That way when they land, their stickers can be recorded at certain areas to judge the size of the migration and how far single butterflies have flown since they were stickered.
Make sure to take plenty of photos of monarch butterflies in Kansas.
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr For more gorgeous views, visit local parks and gardens to see as many of these beauties as possible before they move farther north.
If you’d like to help out monarchs this year or for years to come, plant common or butterfly milkweed plants in your garden each spring and keep from treating them with any insecticides. We want the butterflies to eat the plants, after all!
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
If you’re interested in learning more about insects like these butterflies, why not visit this special Insect Zoo right in Kansas?
Sharon Mollerus/Flickr
Rafael Saldana/Flickr
Harald Supfle/Wikimedia Commons
Scott Costello/Flickr
USFWS Mountain-Prairie/Flickr
USFWS Midwest Region/Flickr
That way when they land, their stickers can be recorded at certain areas to judge the size of the migration and how far single butterflies have flown since they were stickered.
For more gorgeous views, visit local parks and gardens to see as many of these beauties as possible before they move farther north.
Do you have any special places where you know monarch butterflies in Kansas will be? Share with us in the comments section!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Monarch Butterflies In Kansas April 19, 2020 Marisa Roman What other animals migrate to Kansas in the spring? The annual butterfly migration in Kansas isn’t the only fascinating springtime migration to enjoy. In fact, there are plenty of animals, birds, insects, and mammals that make their way through the central parts of the United States in search of warmer weather and a place to set up their nests. When spring rolls around in Kansas, make sure to keep an eye out for the animal kingdom on the move. Killdeer are some of the earliest birds to show up in Kansas, usually in early February. Meanwhile, you can also see waterfowl species show up, like snow geese, Canadian geese, ducks and more, as well as sandhill cranes and purple martins. What are the best signs of spring in Kansas? Knowing the signs of spring in Kansas can often provide much relief when winter is still in full swing. The good news is, there are signs of spring everywhere, beyond just the obvious temperature changes. The first signs of spring you should look out for include songbirds singing, trees budding, sap flowing, spring peepers chirping, and butterflies and bumblebees taking to the skies. How can I best enjoy nature in Kansas? If you’re a fan of the great outdoors then enjoying nature in Kansas is probably a welcomed hobby. The best part about enjoying nature within Kansas is the fact that many of the more natural spots are often overlooked by visitors, which make them hidden gems to many. If you’re looking to get outside this spring and indulge in the best natural experiences Kansas has to offer then we have a few places to see. Check out the 13 most incredible natural wonders in Kansas as soon as the temperatures begin to climb.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Monarch Butterflies In Kansas
April 19, 2020
Marisa Roman
What other animals migrate to Kansas in the spring? The annual butterfly migration in Kansas isn’t the only fascinating springtime migration to enjoy. In fact, there are plenty of animals, birds, insects, and mammals that make their way through the central parts of the United States in search of warmer weather and a place to set up their nests. When spring rolls around in Kansas, make sure to keep an eye out for the animal kingdom on the move. Killdeer are some of the earliest birds to show up in Kansas, usually in early February. Meanwhile, you can also see waterfowl species show up, like snow geese, Canadian geese, ducks and more, as well as sandhill cranes and purple martins. What are the best signs of spring in Kansas? Knowing the signs of spring in Kansas can often provide much relief when winter is still in full swing. The good news is, there are signs of spring everywhere, beyond just the obvious temperature changes. The first signs of spring you should look out for include songbirds singing, trees budding, sap flowing, spring peepers chirping, and butterflies and bumblebees taking to the skies. How can I best enjoy nature in Kansas? If you’re a fan of the great outdoors then enjoying nature in Kansas is probably a welcomed hobby. The best part about enjoying nature within Kansas is the fact that many of the more natural spots are often overlooked by visitors, which make them hidden gems to many. If you’re looking to get outside this spring and indulge in the best natural experiences Kansas has to offer then we have a few places to see. Check out the 13 most incredible natural wonders in Kansas as soon as the temperatures begin to climb.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The annual butterfly migration in Kansas isn’t the only fascinating springtime migration to enjoy. In fact, there are plenty of animals, birds, insects, and mammals that make their way through the central parts of the United States in search of warmer weather and a place to set up their nests. When spring rolls around in Kansas, make sure to keep an eye out for the animal kingdom on the move. Killdeer are some of the earliest birds to show up in Kansas, usually in early February. Meanwhile, you can also see waterfowl species show up, like snow geese, Canadian geese, ducks and more, as well as sandhill cranes and purple martins.
What are the best signs of spring in Kansas?
Knowing the signs of spring in Kansas can often provide much relief when winter is still in full swing. The good news is, there are signs of spring everywhere, beyond just the obvious temperature changes. The first signs of spring you should look out for include songbirds singing, trees budding, sap flowing, spring peepers chirping, and butterflies and bumblebees taking to the skies.
How can I best enjoy nature in Kansas?
If you’re a fan of the great outdoors then enjoying nature in Kansas is probably a welcomed hobby. The best part about enjoying nature within Kansas is the fact that many of the more natural spots are often overlooked by visitors, which make them hidden gems to many. If you’re looking to get outside this spring and indulge in the best natural experiences Kansas has to offer then we have a few places to see. Check out the 13 most incredible natural wonders in Kansas as soon as the temperatures begin to climb.
