Monarch Butterfly’s Biological Compass

Monarch butterflies have one of the most accurate biological clocks found in nature.

Monarch butterflies are able to navigate from as far as Canada to their wintering grounds in the forests of Mexico without ever being there before.

Scientists think the butterflies are able to use and compensate for the movement of the sun to navigate south.

The ability is programmed into their genes and use what is called a “time compensated sun compass” by measuring the position of the sun with their eyes, and through analyzing the polarization of the light on cloudy days.

Once they are locked on to the sun, the monarch butterfly’s brain then automatically corrects for the movement of the sun.

Millions of monarch butterflies use this ability and make the yearly journey of 3000+ miles every year in what is one the the world’s most awesome sights.

The monarch numbers have been on the decline for the last 15 years due to GMO and herbicide resistant crops like corn and soybeans and their herbicides destroying milkweed.

Milkweed is the natural food of the monarch caterpillar and without the milkweed they cannot survive. This is important because it takes several generations of butterflies to complete the yearly journey.

Each new generation picks up the trip where the pervious generation left off, and it is the new monarch caterpillars that turn into butterflies that continue the journey.