Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Monarchs on the Move: A Southern Migration
Every fall a massive migration takes place. An army of orange and black bravely makes its way south. Thousands of sun seekers gather from Canada and the northern United States. They form a large group and head to Mexico and California. But these travelers are not in search of a great tan. They are dark enough already. These are monarch butterflies. They migrate south to avoid the harsh, northern winters.
Monarchs migrate in groups. These tough travelers can fly up to forty-five miles in one day. Their total trip can be 2,500 miles long. They are the only insects that migrate this far. After a long day of flying, the monarchs land on trees to sleep each night. Then in the morning they start out once again. Early each winter the monarchs reach their destination. Then they settle into their winter home. Thousands will rest on tree trunks and branches. Together they rest all winter long. This is known as "overwintering."
After a long winter's rest, the monarchs are .....
