Recent Articles
Eco Challenge of the Month:
October
Happy October, everybody! The leaves are changing color, coffee shops are adding pumpkin spice, and beach days are getting harder to come by. As we get further into fall, you might notice leaf piles building up. Before you rake up every leaf in your yard, we've got a challenge for you: Leave the Leaves! It might seem messy, but those piles of fallen leaves are actually tiny apartment buildings for Montauk's wildlife. This month, try leaving a section of your yard unraked (or move the leaves into a corner pile instead of bagging them). If you find a leaf pile, see if you can find any bugs in it. Answer below if you saw any!
Montauk Animal of the Month: Monarch Butterfly
The leaves aren't the only beautiful orange things you may spot in Montauk! October is peak monarch butterfly migration season, and Montauk is one of the best front-row seats on the whole East Coast!
Why do monarchs come through Montauk?
Monarchs travel all the way from Canada to Mexico for the winter, and Montauk's easternmost tip (the Lighthouse!) acts like a launching pad. Since they don't love flying over open water, thousands of them stack up here waiting for the right wind before making the big flight across the Long Island Sound.
Moehring, Ryan/USFWS
What are the benefits of monarchs?
Monarchs are major pollinators, helping wildflowers and crops reproduce all summer long. Their migration also lets scientists know how healthy our ecosystems are. Fewer monarchs each year is a warning sign that something's off.
Monarch Facts
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Diet: Milkweed (as caterpillars), nectar from flowers (as butterflies)
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Migration distance: Up to 3,000 miles
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Top speed: Up to 12 mph
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Lifespan: This migrating generation lives 6–8 months (way longer than summer monarchs, which only live 2–6 weeks!)
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Special feature: They use the sun AND Earth's magnetic field to navigate