A Butterfly Migration Super Highway Could Bring Millions Of Monarchs Through New Jersey This Fall

Autumn is butterfly season in New Jersey and we’ve already started seeing them throughout the state. A massive migration is underway as they head south for the winter and we are lucky enough to enjoy the show.

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Some monarchs travel to California, but the monarchs that travel through New Jersey head to Mexico. Their journey can be up to 3,000 miles long. Peter Miller/Flickr Migration season runs from the beginning of September to early November, and it's peaking right now. Shell Game/Flickr One of the best places to enjoy the migration is in Cape May. Billtacular/Flickr Home to the Monarch Monitoring Project, they help protect and monitor these beautiful butterflies. Last year at this time, they spotted 105 butterflies in just 20 minutes.



The greatest number of butterflies can be found along the dunes in Cape May Point and next to the Promenade in Cape May City, feeding on the flowers of seaside goldenrod. If you come to see or photograph the butterflies at these locations, it's important to stay on the paths to protect the dunes.



You can see the organization and its volunteers in action during their free drop-in events at Triangle Park in Cape May. They're held on Thursdays (10/17 and 10/24) at 1 pm. You can also visit one of New Jersey's many butterfly gardens. Christa R./Flickr You can find them throughout the state including at Cattus Island County Park in Toms River, Van Vleck Gardens in Montclair, and the Trailside Nature & Science Center in Mountainside.



You can even create your own butterfly garden with aster, black-eyed Susans, cosmos, ironweed, milkweed, dill, fennel, phlox, purple coneflower, sedum, and zinnia. Be sure to include flat rocks where the butterflies can rest.

Have you spotted Monarchs in New Jersey this autumn? Where? Share your photos with us in the comments!

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