Now is the time to spot monarch butterflies on their 3,000-mile migration through Chicago

Peak migration happened this weekend, but you can still spot plenty of these beauties through the rest of the month and even into October.

Image by cultivar413/CC By 2.0/Flickr.com

(CHICAGO) From Canada to Mexico, these one-of-a-kind butterflies are making their annual trek to their wintering grounds. They are the only butterfly known to migrate in both directions, like birds. They travel 3,000 miles each way, further than any other tropical butterfly.

Their route takes them directly through Chicago, and September is the month to watch for, as they can be seen in large numbers passing through. Although, monarch butterflies can be found in Chicagoland nature areas all through the summer months.

Experts say the peak for seeing the most migrating butterflies pass through happened this weekend. However, we can still expect to see them fluttering through the city and suburbs for the rest of the month. And some stragglers may even come passing through in October.

What is the best viewing area for spotting monarchs?

Chief curator of the Chicago Academy of Sciences at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Doug Taron told NBC Chicago the best location to see the most butterflies is along Lake Michigan, as they tend to fly along coastlines.

Parks and natural areas with plenty of flowers are other good bets, but you might just see them fluttering through your backyard.

How to attract butterflies to your backyard?

It may seem like many monarch butterflies are passing through Chicago this month, but their numbers are down. According to Chicago Wilderness, the butterfly population has dropped 80% over the last twenty years.

You can help the monarch by planting milkweed in your garden. Milkweed is the only plant that monarch caterpillars will eat, and it's where the adults lay their eggs.

Monarch butterfly on swamp milkweedImage by herreid/Depositphotos.com

The Field Museum has a guide to help Chicagoans decide which are the best native milkweed plants for their gardens. Though it's got weed in its name, it's not a weed at all.

Milkweed is a native, perennial plant with gorgeous blooms that look spectacular in any garden.

Did you know?

The Farmers Almanac has some fascinating facts on monarch butterflies:

• The butterflies can travel as far as 100 miles per day.
• Eating milkweed makes monarch caterpillars poisonous and protects them from predators. The adult butterfly retains the poison in its body.
• The butterflies only live two to six weeks. It takes several generations to complete the migration from Canada to Mexico.
• The butterflies that winter in Mexico are actually the fourth generation of butterflies that began the journey in Canada.

To get NewBreak stories delivered for FREE on your phone, download the NewsBreak App. If you use my link, I get a small commission (at no cost to you.)