Winter is hard on animals for two simple reasons: it’s cold, and there’s not a lot of food. The easiest way to deal with these issues is to migrate, leave, go south where it’s warm and there’s plenty to eat. Monarch butterflies are well-known for their migration to Mexico where they gather to hang from trees in the mountains. But not every species can migrate. For most insects, the journey is too long and too dangerous, and they must find a way to survive here, in the bitter, dry cold. Listen to learn more about winter survival.

This Field Note was written by Jon Sprague. Would you be interested in writing one? Contact Allison De Jong, Field Notes editor, at adejong [at] montananaturalist [dot] org or 406.327.0405. Please visit the Field Notes website at the Montana Natural History Center for more information.