Butterflies are resident to the US, but they aren’t usually in abundance in Conifer. This year, there has been a huge rise in the butterfly population.

   According to the National Weather Service, there’s an orange blob on their radar over the state of Colorado. Scientists suspected that they were birds, until they realized that the blob was migrating in the wrong direction. The residents of Colorado were asked to help them identify the mysterious shape, and eventually helped them classify the swarm as a migrating species of butterflies.

   Painted ladies, which are commonly mistaken as monarchs, follow wind patterns and can glide for hundreds of miles. The butterflies are normally in Colorado from May to September, but this year, they seemed to be hanging around for a bit longer. After the snow on October 9th, they moved quickly down through Arizona, finishing their migration for the winter to Mexico.

   One reason that the butterflies seem to have stopped in the Denver Metro area is the rise of conservatories here. The Butterfly Pavilion, which has two locations, focuses on rehabilitating and supporting butterflies and other insects. However, it’s still important for residents to have flowers and plants available for the butterflies to feed on if they’re going to keep coming back.