In October on the Cape, which way does a butterfly fly?
Most people would say south, because fall migration is supposed to go south. On the St. Joseph Peninsula a scientist counted, and the answer was north. In fall 1999, Gary L. Sprandel recorded northbound fall migration of five butterfly species and four dragonfly species along the peninsula. He published the work in The Florida Entomologist in June 2001. The insects weren't scattered across the dunes. They were moving up the length of the Cape, the same direction you drive toward the state park.
That makes the peninsula a fall travel route for butterflies and dragonflies. The next two Saturdays at William J. "Billy Joe" Rish Recreation Area are timed for the end of its season.
What the 1999 count showed
Sprandel's study, titled "Fall Dragonfly (Odonata) and Butterfly (Lepidoptera) Migration at St. Joseph Peninsula, Gulf County, Florida," is one of the few published pieces of research tied to this peninsula and no other place. The two species that peaked earliest were the Gulf fritillary, the bright orange butterfly with silver-spotted underwings, and the common green darner, a large dragonfly. Both peaked in the first week of October that year.
So by the time this post reaches you, the early-October wave has already passed for this year. Monarchs follow a later schedule.
Monarch Watch, the University of Kansas-based tagging program, publishes a general guide that estimates when monarchs are most numerous at each latitude. For 29 degrees north, the guide lists peak abundance as 10-22 October. Monarch Watch also notes that weather and coastal conditions can push local timing earlier or later, so treat the window as a guide rather than a promise. The window closes on October 22. A cold front or a run of north wind can still send stragglers down the coast after that.
Monarchs on the Cape aren't a new idea, either. A Tampa Bay Times report from September 1991 said monarch-watching was good on the St. Joseph Peninsula near Cape San Blas. That article is 35 years old and named no particular viewing spot, but it shows the Cape has been on this route for a long time.
Where the Cape fits on the bigger monarch map
The Cape is not where monarchs leave to cross the Gulf. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service names St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge as the last refueling stop for thousands of monarchs before they fly over open water. Monarch Watch has records of monarchs tagged in Florida that were later recovered in Texas and Louisiana, which means some of them made that crossing.
That puts the Cape partway along the route, which suits a resident well. You don't need a long drive to a famous refuge on a crowded weekend. The insects pass the beach access at the end of your street.
The calendar, side by side
| Date | What's happening | Where |
|---|---|---|
| First week of October | Peak Gulf fritillary and green darner movement in the 1999 study | Along the St. Joseph Peninsula |
| Oct. 10–22 | Monarch Watch's general peak window for 29°N | Regional guide |
| Sat., Oct. 24, 10 a.m. ET | Magnificent Monarchs program | Rish Recreation Area, 6773 Cape San Blas Road |
| Sat., Oct. 31, 9 a.m. ET | Birdability accessible bird walk | Rish Recreation Area Visitor Center |
Why Rish Park works for this
Rish is 100 acres and runs the full width of the peninsula, from the Gulf of America across to St. Joseph Bay. If you want to watch for insects moving north, a park that spans the whole width of the peninsula is a good place to stand. A boardwalk leads to about a mile of white-sand beach backed by sea oat-covered dunes. A tunnel under Cape San Blas Road takes you to the bay side, where you can launch a canoe or kayak, wade or walk the nature trail.
The park is set aside for recreation for people with disabilities, their families and their caregivers. Visitors of all abilities can use the day-use areas. Mobility equipment rentals are included in the entry fee, and the 4-foot-deep pool has a chair lift and a wheelchair ramp. Both programs this month are designed around that, and the second one was planned specifically for accessibility.
Here are the basics as currently posted on the Rish hours and fees page:
- Open 8 a.m. to sunset Eastern, 365 days a year
- Visitor Center open 8 a.m. until 30 minutes before sunset
- $6 per vehicle with two to eight people
- $4 for a single-occupant vehicle
- $2 for pedestrians and bicyclists
- Phone: 850-227-1876
Saturday, Oct. 24: Magnificent Monarchs
The Magnificent Monarchs program starts at 10 a.m. Eastern. Mary Beth Cary of Monarchs Across Georgia will talk about monarch butterflies and their migration, and participants will watch for monarchs passing through. A few participants will take home a native milkweed plant. The Florida State Parks listing puts the program at the Visitor Center and runs it from 10 to 11 a.m. The only cost is the regular day-use entry fee.
It's a talk followed by watching, not a tagging session. No one can schedule a monarch, and the listing doesn't promise a big flight. Two days after the end of the regional peak window, any monarchs that show up will be among the last of this year's migration.
Saturday, Oct. 31: an accessible bird walk
A week later, Rish hosts Birdability at Rish Park, an accessible bird outing held with Audubon and Birdability. Birdability is a national effort to make birding and the outdoors easier for everyone to enjoy. The walk was originally set for October 10 and has moved to October 31. If you saw the earlier date, update your calendar.
- Meet at the Rish Visitor Center at 9 a.m. Eastern.
- Pay the day-use fee of $6 per vehicle with two or more people, or $4 for one person.
- Come with any level of experience. The listing welcomes birders of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and experience levels.
The two Saturdays go well together. The first is about insects moving along the peninsula, and the second is about birds at the same time of year.
When to go up to the state park
If you'd rather follow the migration route to the north end of the peninsula on your own, T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park is open for day use from 8 a.m. to sundown. It covers nearly 20 miles of beach and bay shoreline. Florida State Parks lists the Maritime Hammock Nature Trail, the Bayview Nature Trail and the Wilderness Trail as open. The Gulf Breeze day-use area, north of Eagle Harbor, has reopened, and so has the Bayview kayak launch. Eagle Harbor Marina rents kayaks, canoes and pontoon boats if you'd like to watch from the bay. The park's own experiences page says fall and spring bring migrating butterflies through.
To go deeper into the Wilderness Preserve on the six-mile trail, you need a Wilderness Permit. The planned Bayview Campground on the old boat-trailer lot is still listed as a future project, so Bayview is open for day use only.
Park pages and event listings can change without much warning, especially in the fall. Check the Rish listing or call 850-227-1876 the morning you plan to go.
If you've spotted monarchs on your own stretch of the Cape this month, or you're thinking about which side of the peninsula suits the way you spend your mornings, Carter Dorsch would like to hear about it. He's out on Cape San Blas Road most weeks and can share what he's seeing between Rish and the state park. Let's Connect.