Each year, as the weather gets colder, monarch butterflies make a mass migration to their winter homes. For them, this trip means life or death. As the air cools, butterflies have a hard time flying. Below 55°F, their wings stiffen making it harder for them to fly long distances.
Below 40°F, their wings paralyze completely. Meanwhile, the cooler temperature means the nectar they feed off of is harder to find. They must head south in order to survive.
This level 3 reader National Geographic Readers Great Migrations: Butterflies follows their perilous, but amazing journey, in a fun and informative fashion.
Laura Marsh is a long time contributor to National Geographic Children Books. She has written a large number of books in National Geographic Readers series and also in Mama Mirabelle and Toot and Puddle series.