Where do butterflies go in the winter?

Some butterflies do spend the winter elsewhere. The most familiar example is the Monarch, which spends the winters in the highlands of Michoacán in Mexico. It's the only local species that makes an annual round-trip migration. read more

The monarch butterflies will spend their winter hibernation in Mexico and some parts of Southern California where it is warm all year long. If the monarch lives in the Eastern states, usually east of the Rocky Mountains, it will migrate to Mexico and hibernate in oyamel fir trees. read more

Most butterflies are "residents" which means they winter over right in your garden. Some, like the famous monarchs, migrate to warmer climates. The Monarchs go all the way to Mexico, but many migrating species go only as far as the Carolinas. read more