Which butterflies migrate?

Among day-flying butterflies: monarch (North America), painted lady (almost worldwide), red admiral (partly), Danaus chrysippus (Australia). In Russia regular migrations are recorded for painted lady and partly red admiral.

How far do butterflies fly when migrating?

Monarch is the record holder: up to 4,500 km from Canada to Mexico. Painted lady makes intercontinental flights across the Sahara — about 12,000 km in total over several generations.

How do butterflies navigate during migration?

By the sun's position (corrected for time of day by internal biological clocks), Earth's magnetic field, and probably scent landmarks. Monarch navigation is the best studied.

Butterfly Atlas

Migration

Butterfly migration is seasonal movement over long distances. The record holder is the monarch, flying up to 4,500 km. In Russia the red admiral and painted lady migrate.

What is migration in butterflies

Migration in butterflies is directed seasonal movement over long distances linked to changing environmental conditions. Unlike random dispersal, migration is predictable in direction and timing.

Butterflies migrate much less than birds, but some species make remarkable journeys.

Monarch — the main migrant

The monarch (Danaus plexippus) makes the best-known insect migration. Each year:

In autumn butterflies fly from Canada and the northern USA southwest to the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico (up to 4,500 km)
There they overwinter in millions on oyamel fir trees
In spring several generations gradually return north

Navigation uses a “solar compass” — butterflies determine direction by the sun's position, correcting course with internal biological clocks.

Painted lady — intercontinental record

The painted lady (Vanessa cardui) is a cosmopolitan with one of the longest migration routes. Genetic studies show butterflies cross the Sahara from south to north — total route over several generations is about 12,000 km.

In Russia the painted lady appears in waves: in good years its numbers surge sharply in the second half of summer.

Red admiral in Russia

The red admiral (Vanessa atalanta) migrates partly: in autumn individuals from northern populations fly south; some overwinter in the Mediterranean. A small number overwinter in Russia, sheltered in forest litter.

More on butterfly life — in the section life of butterflies.

Frequently asked questions

Endemic

Host plant