Good news, nature enthusiasts! Along with the arrival of warmer days, wildflowers, and hummingbirds, you can now look forward to spotting some beautiful monarch butterflies in VA. These magical creatures journey northward from Mexico and spend the summer here before heading south again in the fall. In the meantime, you can keep your eyes peeled for their beautiful shades of orange, black, and white. Let’s take a look at the best time to see monarch butterflies in Virginia.

When the monarchs return from their winter in warmer climates, they are on a mission to lay eggs.
Claude LeTien / Moment via Getty Images
Monarch butterflies will lay eggs on milkweed plants, which have leaves that are necessary for the egg and larvae stage of the butterfly lifecycle.
Nikki O'Keefe Images / Moment via Getty Images
The next generation that will emerge from these plants is the one that will take flight and continue northward.
Fritz Flohr Reynolds / Flickr
In fact, the monarch butterfly goes through four generations between spring and summer, all in preparation for the important trip back south in the fall.
C Watts / Flickr

Related Stories

This Spring Is Forecast To Be The Most Active Tornado Season Virginia Has Seen In Years

This Spring Is Forecast To Be The Most Active Tornado Season Virginia Has Seen In Years

 Thousands Of Adorable Songbirds Will Be Making Their Way Through Virginia This Spring

Thousands Of Adorable Songbirds Will Be Making Their Way Through Virginia This Spring

 Home To 50 Acres Of Beautiful Virginia Blooms, Visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens This Spring

Home To 50 Acres Of Beautiful Virginia Blooms, Visit Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens This Spring
The fourth generation that makes this remarkable journey is known as the Super Generation. These butterflies can live up to nine months, compared to other generations, which only live between two to six weeks.
Shane Kemp / Flickr
If you'd like to increase your odds of spotting butterflies along their migration and love the idea of helping them out, you're in luck! Planting milkweed, also known as Asclepias, will ensure the insects are safe.
Chesapeake Bay Program / Flickr
Do you know why monarch butterflies are orange? The bright hue warns predators about potentially poisonous chemicals, which the butterfly gets from milkweed. How incredible is that?
Judy Gallagher / Flickr
The wonderful map below, courtesy of Journey North, shows this year's progress of the migrating monarch butterfly. As you'll see, most sightings have occurred along the coast.
Journey North

Have you noticed any beautiful monarch butterflies in Virginia? If so, be sure to share your sightings with us in the comments section! For more up-to-date information about the springtime butterfly migration, you can visit the Monarch Watch website.

For another wonderful spring migration, keep an eye out for hummingbirds in Virginia.

Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Thousands Of Hummingbirds Are Headed Right For Virginia During Their Migration This Spring

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Monarch Butterflies In Virginia

Chris Muras | February 22, 2024

Are there monarch butterflies in Virginia?
Yes, there are monarch butterflies in Virginia. While the state butterfly for Virginia is the Eastern tiger swallowtail, monarch butterflies do migrate through Virginia. The peak season to see monarch butterflies in Virginia is in the fall, especially mid to late September.

When do monarch butterflies migrate through Virginia?
Monarch butterflies arrive in Virginia in the spring and begin the Southern migration back to Mexico in late summer to early fall. One of the best places in Virginia to see monarchs is the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. The peak time to enjoy these lovely insects is also in late summer to early fall right as they begin their migration.

What do monarch butterflies eat?
The primary food source for monarch butterflies in the larvae stage before they blossom into butterflies is, of course, milkweed. However, adult butterflies feed on nectar from flowers. They will select a wide variety of flowers or even rotting fruit that has begun to ferment. You can even set up a butterfly house to help them feed, find shelter, and lay their larvae. Here are a few popular flowers that will attract butterflies:

  • Butterfly Bush
  • Phlox
  • Black-Eyed Susan
  • Coneflower
  • Lavender
  • Aster
  • Marigolds
  • Sunflowers
  • Goldenrod

How do butterflies know when to migrate?
Monarch butterflies know when to migrate based on a few factors. Since insects are cold-blooded they are sensitive to changing temperatures. As the days get shorter and the temperatures fall they know it is time to head to warmer climates. Another factor is their food source. As flowers die off in the fall, monarch butterflies need to move south where they can find actively blossoming flowers. As milkweed begins to die monarchs realize the food source for their larvae will cease to exist so they head to climates with active milkweed plants.

Related Articles

Explore Virginia

Featured Addresses
Virginia, USA