10/14/2026
Monarch butterflies are stopping in Georgia to refuel on a 3,000-mile journey south.
The butterflies making this fall journey have never seen the mountain forests in central Mexico where they will spend the winter. Their parents are not there to guide them.
Yet this migratory generation heads south from breeding grounds in the United States and southern Canada, traveling up to 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers).
Along the way, flowers provide fuel.
At Gibbs Gardens in north Georgia, hundreds of monarchs were seen feeding among blooms, CBS Atlanta reported on October 9.
A meadow originally planted for honeybees was later adapted to support monarchs. Cosmos, zinnias and other flowers provide nectar that helps the butterflies continue south and build energy reserves.
Horticulturist Eric Johnson told CBS that finding food along the route can determine whether they complete their migration.
Their destination offers shelter for winter. Monarchs gather in clusters on oyamel fir trees, where the mountain forests help protect them from wind and temperature extremes.
The journey also shows why conserving one wintering site is not enough. Monarchs need suitable habitat across their range.
Habitat loss, pesticide exposure and climate change are among their threats. In 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that the eastern migratory population had declined by about 80% since the mid-1990s.
Gardens can contribute, but adult butterflies and their young need different foods.
Adults drink nectar from flowers. Females lay eggs on milkweed, and their caterpillars depend on its leaves for food.
Planting milkweed native to your region alongside flowers that provide nectar throughout the growing season can support both stages.
Monarchs generally pass through north Georgia from late September into mid-October, although weather affects their timing.
Have you spotted these travelers stopping for a meal in your garden this fall?
