BOISE, Idaho — As fall settles across the Northwest, the crisp air isn’t just a signal for changing leaves, it’s also nature’s cue for monarch butterflies to begin their long journey south.

Each year, these four inch, bright orange insects take flight in a remarkable migration, traveling up to 3,000 miles to survive the winter.

“We do not know exactly how they know to get to where they're going.” CWI Professor Hollie Leavitt told KTVB. “And so that's kind of a mystery."

The mystery only adds to the wonder. Monarchs can ride wind streams high above surface-level to conserve energy, between 800 and 1,200 feet off the ground, crossing states and even countries.

Their journey lasts over two to three months.

Monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains make up the “western population,” with most h

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