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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A tree of many memories
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A midsummer twilight s dream
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Swimming into the season
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Corjuem Fort in Goa, India
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Native American Heritage Day
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To the 155th on the 155th
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In search of roadside attractions on ‘America’s Highway’
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Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta
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‘Fringe’ takes center stage as Edinburgh celebrates the arts
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Stepping into autumn
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A hermitage with a view
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Discovery Day in Yukon, Canada
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National Trails Day
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It s World Poetry Day
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World Children s Day
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Happy Hobbit Day
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Assembling the Smithsonian
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It s truffle season here in the Dordogne Valley
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New York City skyline
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Great horned owl near Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida
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Big sky at Big Bend
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Yi Peng Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand
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National Hummingbird Day
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Four Sisters, thousands of trees
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Saguaro cacti, Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
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Go with the rainbow flow
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Paper lanterns on the longest night
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Yosemite National Park turns 132
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Instant romance
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A medieval celebration in the Mediterranean