Monarchs Signal the Shift to Spring

February may still feel like winter in Wisconsin, but the seasonal shift has already begun. At Devil’s Lake State Park, some of the earliest signs of spring don’t show up in wildflowers or warm temperatures. They show up in daylight and migration.

The days are noticeably longer now. Sunlight lingers a little longer across the bluffs, and wildlife across North America is already responding.

One of the most remarkable early indicators of the coming season is the northward movement of monarch butterflies. Observers at Monarch Watch have recently reported tagged monarchs moving north from their wintering locations. One individual has already traveled 40 miles north, and another more than 68 miles northwest. Reports have also noted westward movement, likely influenced by seasonal wind patterns during early dispersal.

These early movements are the beginning of a much larger migration that will eventually bring monarchs back to Wisconsin later this year.

Monarch Tagging at Devil’s Lake State Park

Each fall, organizations, schools, and the Devil’s Lake State Park Nature Center participate in monarch tagging programs. These programs, typically scheduled in early September, allow families to help capture monarchs in the park’s grasslands so they can be safely tagged by the naturalist.

The tagging data is submitted to Monarch Watch, where it becomes part of a long-running community science project tracking migration timing, routes, and survival rates. Families can also follow the migration online or through the Monarch Watch mobile app. If a tagged monarch is later found anywhere along its journey, that recovery can be reported through the website, adding another data point to the larger story.

While monarchs won’t reach Devil’s Lake for a few months yet, their early northward movement serves as a reminder that seasonal change is already underway.

Even in late winter, spring is quietly approaching.