The more time you spend outdoors, the greater the chance you have of being exposed to the Wonders of Mother Nature, and one of those great wonders is occurring right now. It is happening in fallow fields and field edges throughout the county — wherever there is an abundance of thistle, milkweed, and goldenrod. Some songbirds nest in these fields; deer will occasionally feed through them in search of certain plants they like, and rodents, such as mice and moles, frequent these plots, which provide them with unlimited food and shelter. Along with these creatures, these abandoned fields are increasingly frequented by monarch butterflies.

In recent weeks, the adult monarchs (Danaus plexippus) have been flying about and feeding on the nectar of the goldenrod flowers, while the caterpillars, or larvae, have been slowly munching away on the leaves of the milkweeds, and the chrysalis form, or pupa stage, of the butterfly can be observed hanging on the underside of leaves and branches and attached to structures nearby.

The Monarch butterfly is a member of the classification of butterflies known as “Milkweed Butterflies” and is easily recognizable, with a wingspan of about 3 to 4 inches and its basic coloration of orange wings, marked with black veins and a black border with two rows of white spots. Because the caterpillars of the Monarch feed on toxic milkweeds, the adult butterflies are distasteful to birds, thereby gaining some protection from predators. While there are numerous subspecies of monarchs, the ones we see throughout Pennsylvania are also found across the entire United States and occasionally on Caribbean islands. A similar butterfly that is sometimes confused with the Monarch is the Yellow Swallowtail, also found throughout Pennsylvania; its coloration is pale yellow, whereas the Monarch is orange. It can often be seen feeding in the same area as the Monarchs.

While Monarch butterflies can be seen all across our state, they are most often spotted feeding on the nectar of goldenrod plants in meadows and weedy fields as they gather their strength for what is truly one of the Wonders of the World of Nature. In autumn, as temperatures begin to drop, they will gather for their southward migration. One of the best-known butterflies, the Monarch is the only butterfly that regularly migrates both north and south, as birds do. But no single individual makes the entire round trip. The most amazing aspect of this flight is that it will take them about 1,800 miles!

As a retired pilot who has flown large jet aircraft across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, I understand navigation and have a real appreciation for today’s sophisticated navigational equipment. So how, for Heaven’s sake, does all of this modern technology fit inside this small insect?!?! Well, obviously, it doesn’t, but somehow, through the magic of nature, they will fly from the fields of Pennsylvania this fall and winter in the mountains of Mexico, then return to our state in the spring, where the cycle begins all over again! Eggs will be laid on milkweed plants, and a new generation hatches, matures, and the life cycle continues. As these eggs hatch, and after several molts, the black, white, and yellow-green striped caterpillar reaches almost 2 inches. It then leaves its milkweed plant to pupate elsewhere as a pale green, golden-dotted chrysalis. Adults live only a few weeks, except for those that migrate south and winter over in Mexico, which live seven to nine months. Therefore, about 4 generations of monarchs occur each year.

This time of year, I can glance out my window and see a monarch butterfly winging its way from one goldenrod plant to another as it gathers the nectar that will give it the strength for its upcoming migration. No doubt, the ones we are observing this time of year are the ones that will migrate to Mexico. Thinking about the amazing migration that will occur, the stay over for the winter in Mexico, with a return in the spring gives a renewed appreciation for the Wonders of Nature.

There exists today an organization, The Monarch Joint Venture, a nonprofit made up of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, businesses, and academic program partners working together to conserve the monarch butterfly migration for future generations. For more information, contact them at https://monarchjointventure.org/.