Western North Carolina has a special returning guest.

According to Asheville GreenWorks, monarch butterflies have started returning from their southern migration. The endangered species of butterfly typically travels ~2,500 miles to spend the winter in a warm climate like Mexico and California — now, it's time for them to make that same journey home.

A sure sign of the monarchs' return? Monarch eggs. They might be hard to spot because of their small size — they're only about the size of a pencil tip. The eggs are usually laid on the underside of a milkweed leaf, with only one egg laid per plant.

Want to help our winged friends thrive? Planting milkweed is a good place to start. Not only does it function as monarchs' egg site, it's the only plant the larvae eats.

To expand your pollinator-friendly garden even more, follow Asheville GreenWorks' comprehensive guide.