Millions of Monarch Butterflies Are Headed Straight for South Dakota This Spring

When spring arrives in South Dakota it brings warmer days, cherry blossoms, and colorful new beginnings. While cute baby bunnies and birds are expected in the next few months, did you know there is another colorful, simply stunning natural phenomenon on the horizon? The arrival of monarch butterflies in South Dakota. If you've been wondering, "When do monarch butterflies migrate through South Dakota," we've got the answer.

The annual monarch butterfly migration typically occurs from March through June as monarch butterflies begin their journey from Southern California and Mexico north after the cold winter months.

Each fall, monarch butterflies instinctively head south in search of warmer temperatures, where they lay eggs on milkweed. Come spring, the eggs hatch, and caterpillars emerge, soon transforming into beautiful butterflies and beginning the long journey north. Once the butterflies begin to arrive in South Dakota, you can expect to see them until early September, when they start the long trip south. Monarch butterflies usually have a lifespan of just two to six weeks, but the last generation born each year tends to live between eight and nine months.

The best time to see monarch butterflies in South Dakota is late May and early June. To increase your chances of having more butterfly visitors this spring, experts recommend planting milkweed in your yard, as it has become increasingly difficult for these insects to find nourishment.

You can find milkweed at your local garden store or buy milkweed seeds online. Look for milkweed - butterfly weed, swamp milkweed, whorled milkweed, and common milkweed - that is native to South Dakota. The best time to plant milkweed is in the fall before the first frost. However, if you're like me and missed the fall planting, you can still plant milkweed in the spring after the final frost. I'm going to plant the seeds indoors first and later transfer the milkweed to a sunny corner of my yard. Milkweed thrives in full sun and partial shade.

How do the butterflies know to migrate? This is a question that still baffles scientists, but one thing is for sure: It is truly a sight to see. Monarch butterflies instinctively know when it is time to migrate based on cooling temperatures and the availability of blooming flowers. How this knowledge is passed from generation to generation we may never know.

By the way, make sure to have your camera handy when you go outside this spring, as you never know just what you will capture.

Are there monarch butterflies in South Dakota? Yes! Do you have a favorite place - a park or hiking trail - to see the monarch butterflies? Tell us about it by filling out a nomination form.

Craving even more beauty? Then discover one of South Dakota’s most majestic waterfalls - no hiking necessary. Another wonderful place to explore if you want to spot monarch butterflies in South Dakota is this wildflower hike on Little Spearfish Trail. Find even more fantastic places to hike in SD by trying AllTrails+.