Mid-September through early October is the best time to watch for migrating monarch butterflies in our area.
To celebrate this wondrous natural phenomenon, educational programs are being hosted in Hendersonville, sponsored by Hendersonville’s Bee City USA program.
29th Annual Symbolic Monarch Migration to Mexico
Mid-August to mid-October
Hendersonville Students Can Participate Free through Bee City USA – Hendersonville.
From the Hendersonville area, the monarch migration is an epic journey to Mexico covering at least 2,000 miles. Like clockwork, the first migrating monarchs typically reach their over-wintering habitats high in the mountains of central Mexico by the first of November. To celebrate this amazing feat, more than 10,000 children from across the United States and Canada will participate in the 29th annual Symbolic Monarch Migration by creating paper butterflies to send to Mexico for the winter. Local classrooms, youth organizations, and individual students are invited to join them. Free registrations for any school, nonprofit organization, family, or other group located within the City of Hendersonville, up to 20 groups, are being sponsored by the City. The deadline to request a free registration code for your group is Friday, September 21.
To register, visit bullingtongardens.org/symbolic-monarch-migration for full details. Bullington Gardens is coordinating the 29th Annual Symbolic Monarch Migration program in Henderson County.
The symbolic butterflies will correspond with the living monarchs’ actual journey south … as the real-life monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter, the symbolic butterflies will be delivered to schools in the area of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Sometime in spring after the living monarchs’ departure from Mexico, groups of paper butterflies will also return north carrying special messages from the students in Mexico. United by the monarch butterfly, children across North America learn authentic lessons of conservation, cooperation, and ambassadorship. Hendersonville children will be able to participate in this popular program.
The Monarch Population Is Shrinking
According to the most recent survey released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Mexico, the presence of the eastern monarch butterfly population in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests this past winter (2023-24) was 59.3% less than the previous year. Monarch butterflies occupied 0.9 hectares, 1.31 less than the 2.21 hectares in the 2022-2023 over-wintering season. This is the first time since the 2013-2014 over-wintering season that the eastern monarch population has occupied less than one hectare. A number of Pollinator Gardens have been planted by Hendersonville Public Works in the past three years – two have been recently installed on Four Seasons Blvd. – to help support monarch butterflies and other pollinators. The City encourages residents to plant native, pollinator-friendly plots – including the monarch’s favorite, milkweed.
Learn More at Several Local Events During Monarch Month
A number of exciting and informative events are scheduled in September to celebrate Monarch Month, including programs at NC Arboretum, Bullington Gardens, Chimney Rock State Park, and Gorges State Park. For a complete listing, visit https://beecityasheville.org/monarch-month.
Written by the City of Hendersonville.