Probably the most recognizable of all the butterfly species, monarchs are helpful pollinators that can be found across the United States and Canada in the summer. But each fall, millions of these orange and black beauties embark upon one of the world"s most amazing migrations. The insects make use of air currents to make the long journey south to the mountains of southwestern Mexico, a flight of up to 3,000 miles. Aside from being a staggeringly great distance for these delicate insects to fly, it"s also a journey to a place that not one of them has ever been to before. And unlike the many bird species that undertake annual round-trip migrations, these butterflies will never return to the north. Why not? Because the distance and length of the total annual migration cycle is greater than the lifespan of individual monarchs.
The migrating monarchs of Michoacán
Today in History
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Arches National Park, Utah
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High above the reef
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Native American Heritage Day
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Indigenous living
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A river runs through it
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Roques de Benet, Els Ports Natural Park, Catalonia, Spain
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At ease, it’s Armed Forces Day
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Through an artist s eyes
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Cloughoughter Castle, County Cavan, Ireland
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The largest American bison around
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Apple Tree Day
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Celebrating Bike to Work Week, May 14-18
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Clouds over the River of Grass
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Hohenzollern Castle near Stuttgart, Germany
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An ice cap-puccino
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Inside the Oculus
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Astrotourism at its finest
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Merry Christmas!
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Purple flowers and Golden Week
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Spring equinox
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Earth at Perihelion
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Pascua Florida Day
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Happy anniversary to the National Park Service!
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Autumn in the cypress swamp
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A willowy welcome to spring
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A day for our oceans
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Feeling lazy? Today s your day.
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National Bison Month
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A valley view at 9,000 feet
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Shining like Klondike gold