Here’s something I’ve always wanted to see: groups of monarchs clustered together before continuing their long journey South.
Living near Lake Erie, there’s a good chance I’ll eventually get the timing right. The third week of September is gearing up for the peak of northeast Ohio’s monarch migration, according to the National Park Service and Cleveland Metroparks. You can get the latest information from the metropark’s Facebook page.
Monarch roosts with hundreds to thousands of monarchs form overnight in lakefront parks (including Wendy Park), generally after a very warm day with north winds followed by later thunderstorms, according to our metroparks experts.
Here are places they recommend:
Euclid Beach & Wildwood, Euclid Creek Reservation
The meadows of Euclid Creek Reservation meander with the creek as it makes its way to Lake Erie. During migration, butterflies feed on the wildflowers.
Gordon Park, Lakefront Reservation
Near Cleveland Lakefront Nature Preserve and the no-mow area
Roger’s Meadow, North Chagrin Reservation
Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Any field with an abundance of wildflowers is a good option.
