Looking up observations…
Zip code tool
Monarch Tracker
Where are the monarchs right now, and are they near you? Enter a zip code to see community sightings by month, recent photos, egg and caterpillar reports, and which milkweeds grow in your area.
Right now · Sep 2026 · Eastern population
Fall migration peak
The migratory generation streams south along Long Island's shorelines, fueling on goldenrod and asters. This is the best month to see monarchs.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
- Eggs
- Caterpillars
- Chrysalises
- Adults
Look for now: Caterpillars
Yellow, black, and white banded caterpillars up to 2 inches with two pairs of black filaments. Chewed leaves and dark frass on the leaf below give them away.
Do: Plant more milkweed if they run out; do not move them indoors unless you know how to raise them cleanly.
Next: Eggs around Jun.
Reference photo: (c) burkinstocks, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Live migration maps: Journey North · Monarch Watch
What you will see
- Monarch observations by month for this year and last, so you can see when they arrive and peak near you.
- The most recent photographed sightings within your radius over the last 90 days.
- How many egg and caterpillar reports have been logged this year, a sign of local breeding.
- Which milkweed species people have documented nearby, with a flag if tropical milkweed shows up.
Not sure what to plant? Start with native milkweed and read why tropical milkweed is a problem.
FAQ
About monarchs
- When do monarchs arrive on Long Island?
- The first monarchs usually reach Long Island in late May or early June, having bred their way north from Mexico over two or three generations. Numbers build through the summer and peak in September, when the migratory generation streams south along the shorelines.
- How can I tell a monarch from a viceroy?
- Viceroys are smaller and have a black line crossing the veins of the hindwing, parallel to the wing edge. Monarchs have no such line. Viceroys also glide with wings flat; monarchs glide with wings held in a shallow V.
- What should I plant for monarchs?
- Native milkweed for caterpillars (common, swamp, or butterfly milkweed on Long Island) and fall nectar for the migration: goldenrod, New England aster, and Joe Pye weed. Avoid tropical milkweed, which can disrupt migration and spread the OE parasite.
- How do I find monarch eggs and caterpillars?
- Check the undersides of the top few milkweed leaves for single cream-colored eggs the size of a pinhead, ribbed like a tiny football. Caterpillars have yellow, black, and white bands and two pairs of black filaments. Chewed leaves and dark frass on the leaf below are the giveaway.