Butterflies or Bust: Spring Monarch Migration Hits Texas

It's that time of year again! No, not tax season (but seriously, you should file those taxes.) No, I'm referring, of course, to spring migration of monarch butterflies in Texas!

Ask any second-grade student to draw a picture of a butterfly, and I bet you they'll color it orange and have it look like this:

The monarch butterfly is etched into our society as THE default butterfly. Well, what if I were to tell you that this is the time where Texas will see way more of these fellas than normal?

WARNING--Dad Joke Incoming: What is a butterfly's least favorite subject in school? ... Moth-ematics!

Just as the butterfly completes its life cycle, so too do us Texans live our entire year just to exit our 'cocoon' of insect mediocrity and unfold our metaphorical wings of being blessed with these beautiful creatures throughout our day.

Straight poetry right there, TBH.

What is Spring Migration for Monarch Butterflies?

During the spring migration, monarchs make there way north through Texas from Mexico. You see, just like single upper-class older men, monarch butterflies prefer to spend the colder months on the beaches in Cancun rather than freeze their liver spots off in America.

Got Milkweed?

As these butterflies make their journey through Texas, they keep their peepers out for emerging milkweed. It turns out that little butterfly babies (AKA caterpillars) LOVE to eat milkweed. In fact, that's pretty much all they can eat with their tiny little mouths, according to the USDA.

Once these lovable freaks of nature complete their journey through Texas -- they die. BUT, the adventure has just begun for their offspring who go on to re-populate the eastern half of the U.S. and portions of Southern Canada.

Aside from the fact that they are one of nature's pollinators, you shouldn't harm monarch butterflies for the basic reason of them being cool and I'll ugly cry on your sleeve if you do.