It takes 7 to 8 generations of Monarchs to make the journey from Mexico and southern U.S to the northern U.S in the early summer, and come fall weather Monarchs have to travel south to avoid the cold; however, it only takes one brilliant generation to make the journey back.  This generation, that appears only once a year, is the “super generation,” and in this generation, one can see the hidden beauty of a bug so underappreciated.

We see monarchs all summer long; we know their colors, their pattern, and the little flutter of their wings so well, but very few follow this astonishing insect with their eyes until it flutters out of sight. The monarch butterfly is so much more than Ohio’s most frequently sighted butterfly — it is an enigma.

Every new generation of Monarchs is born with no guidance except for the power of their own intuition. They have no generation above them to lead them to their destination. It takes seven generations to fly from Mexico to the northern U.S and each generation is born knowing exactly where to go.

Fields full of pollinated flowers are an ideal resting spot for Monarchs on their journeys, and stepping into one fulfills the senses. David Ballou, a lucky witness of this beautiful scene said, “Usually butterflies are pretty rare, but in that small space everywhere you looked there were butterflies, so they didn’t feel so rare anymore.”

So as this super generation of butterflies makes there journey south, keep an eye out for these beautiful orange butterflies.