Monarchs from the generation that emerged last autumn began heading north from Mexico in March, laying eggs along the way. By now, that generation has died, and their offspring are continuing the journey northward. Based on counts from CONANP and the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico, about 64% more monarchs headed northward in spring 2026 than in 2025.
Photo by TexasEagle

From early November until mid-March, most Eastern North American Migratory monarchs were in Central Mexico, waiting to head back north to produce what will become the first new generation of 2026. Estela Romero of Journey North reported early departures in late February, and final massive departures on March 7 and 8. These monarchs, most of whom began their lives as eggs in monarchs’ northern breeding grounds last August and September, are now heading north, laying eggs along the way.
Photo by Brenna Weisner

Since early November last fall, most monarchs in the Eastern North American Migratory Population have been overwintering in Central Mexico, waiting for the environmental cues that will signal that it’s time to move back north. Even before the monarchs leave, mating will begin, and they’ll continue to mate and the females will lay eggs as they head north, through northern Mexico and into Texas before spreading into approximately the southeastern quarter of the U.S. This should begin in a little under a month.

Photo by Karen Oberhauser

A month ago, the leading edge of the migration had moved well into Mexico, and I noted that the very first monarchs should begin arriving at their winter homes right on time, around the Day of the Dead celebration on November 2, with larger numbers a week or so behind. Just like clockwork, this is what happened. Estela Romero sent a report to Journey North of monarchs in the skies above the small town of Angangueo Michocan on November 4. The sanctuaries of El Rosario and Sierra Chincua in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve officially opened to the public on November 22.

Photo by Brenna Wiesner

A month ago, the southernmost roost sites reported by Journey North volunteers were in Oklahoma. As of this writing (October 29), the leading edge of the migration has moved well into Mexico (figure 1), with one sighting of 16 monarchs in the State of Guanajuato, the state just north of Michoacan where many overwintering sites are found. However, the main part of the leading edge is near Saltillo in the State of Coahuila. Based on these locations, the very first monarchs should begin arriving at their winter homes within a few days, right on time (they usually begin arriving around the Mexican Day of the Dead holiday), while larger numbers will be a week or so behind.

A month ago, Journey North volunteers were just beginning to see monarch roosts, and only in the northern reaches of their summer breeding range: Minnesota, Michigan and Southern Ontario. But since then, the moving front of monarch migration has moved steadily southward, with monarch roosts spotted as far south as Oklahoma.

Photo by Mike Budd/USFWS