Monarch Butterflies Flying in Groups at Black Mesa

For the past couple of days, I have been seeing lots of Black Mesa monarchs here in Oklahoma. The surprise has been watching large groups of them flying together. I have never seen that before.

Black Mesa Monarchs During Fall Migration

Most of my monarch sightings involve one butterfly, followed by another a little while later. Here at Black Mesa State Park, I have been watching several move through together. That has made me pay more attention to the butterflies during this visit.

Their arrival fits the fall migration season. Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains head toward wintering grounds in central Mexico, stopping for nectar along the way.

Monarch Watch’s migration guide places peak abundance near 37 degrees north between September 19 and October 1. Black Mesa sits near that latitude. Those dates offer a general guide, and weather can shift the timing from year to year.

I cannot say where these particular butterflies started their journey. But seeing so many here has given me a different view of a migration I have watched back home.

Photographing a Monarch on Yellow Flowers

I photographed this monarch feeding on small yellow flowers. With its wings held together, I could see the orange panels, black veins, and white spots along the edges.

In the photograph, the soft background helps separate the butterfly from the surrounding plants. The flower stems remain visible around it, showing the small patch where it stopped to feed.

Those flowers matter during the journey south. Monarch Watch explains that migrating monarchs need nectar to reach their wintering grounds in Mexico.

A First for Me in the Oklahoma Panhandle

I have shared another encounter in Monarch Butterfly Migration: Moment in My Arkansas Yard.

This time, the groups flying together have held my attention. I came away with a photograph of one feeding monarch and a new experience from watching the others pass through.