Georgia DNR, Wildlife Resources Division
Catch the Coastal Odyssey this Fall
By ANNA YELLIN
What do North Atlantic right whales, red knots and monarch butterflies have in common?
It’s not habitat. Or size, obviously (adult right whales average about 55 tons; monarchs, half a gram). Neither is it natural history. These three vary from mammals that raise their young to insects that lay eggs, leave and never look back.
The answer is that each species is part of awe-inspiring, long-distance migrations along the Atlantic Coast. Georgia’s coastline is not only a fall flyway for migratory birds and a water route for right whales, it’s an aerial highway for insects migrating hundreds and even thousands of miles. Here’s how to catch this epic odyssey.
Monarchs are just one of the butterfly species migrating across Georgia. (Linda May/DNR)
What to look for …
Migrating insects are less in-your-face obvious than birds. They use coastal breezes and ride air currents. They’re small and easy to overlook. Also, migrating butterflies are not social butterflies: They fly solo. There is no known communication, unlike a flock of sandhill cranes heard overhead, and the number of migrating insects is a mystery.
The take-home is that you have to pay close attention. But the insects are there. There are exponentially more flying along our coastline than birds. During September and October, thousands can pass unnoticed in only a few hours.
Where to look …
For butterflies, the ideal place is where dunes meet the sea. These areas offer protection from strong gusts and allow butterflies to save energy by riding gentle air currents. Native dune flora such as beggar ticks, verbena and silkgrass provide needed nectar. By day, butterflies may venture inland to more abundant flowering areas. At night, they light in trees along the way. Boardwalks that cross the dunes to reach the beach are great places to watch for them.
While monarchs are the best known butterfly migrants, others are fluttering down our coast and some even across our state. These include bright orange gulf fritillaries, yellow cloudless sulphurs and multicolored American ladies, painted ladies and long-tailed skippers. Monarchs have the longest journey, with the eastern population flying up to 3,000 miles in the fall to the Oyamel fir forests in Mexico.
For migrating dragonflies, freshwater or brackish marshy areas behind the dunes are ideal spots to watch. Instead of nectaring, dragonflies eat other insects to refuel during migration.
The most recognized of these skinny travelers is the common green darner. Like the monarch, common green darners migrate from as far north as Canada to overwinter as an adult. In America’s Gulf states or Mexico, the full cycle of this migration – like the monarch’s – takes multiple generations to complete.
Lesser-known migratory dragonflies following our coastline include the wandering glider, spot-winged glider and Carolina saddlebags.
As summer wanes and school starts, some consider beach season over. But I argue it’s the time for a migration vacation on the coast. Bird till noon, then go buggin’!
Anna Yellin is a wildlife biologist with DNR’s Wildlife Conservation Section.
Report what’s nectaring near you in the Southeast Pollinator Census. (Adobe Stock)
BUG WATCH
Help monitor Georgia insects, those that migrate and those that don’t:
Spotted adult (left) and nymph lanternflies (UGA)
LANTERNFLY ALERT
Speaking of insects, spotted lanternfly sightings are on the rise in Georgia. This invasive pest is a growing concern for agriculture and natural habitats. Early detection is critical.
What to do? If you see one (here’s a guide), take a clear picture, kill it and report it.
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