Where are monarchs in Arizona?

During the winter months Phoenix and Tucson reported monarchs. This is common each year in the lower deserts. In April we began seeing a northward movement of monarchs across the state. New monarch sightings appeared in early April in Superior at Boyce Thompson Arboretum in the Pollinator Garden and at the Nature Conservancy at Muleshoe Ranch north of Willcox. Shortly afterwards there were two different monarchs reported in Camp Verde near the Verde River, another monarch along the Agua Fria River and still one more monarch was sighted cruising along Highway 89A at 6,600 feet elevation on Mingus Mountain north of Prescott and south of Cottonwood. We're excited to see these Spring sightings in a year when the Western population numbers were so low. It's possible some of these monarchs are remigrants from Mexico as well.

We'll continue to see where new sightings develop and how the breeding season develops in the higher elevation of Arizona.

Photo credit Tina K Camp Verde April 5, 2021