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This migratory behavior has monarchs leaving their overwintering areas in Mexico and then moving north to Texas and the Southern Plains. Then, they move father up through the Northern Plains and Midwest before they reach the Great Lakes Region.

Eastern Monarchs
When the days get shorter and the pollen resources are low, that stimulates the butterflies' migratory behavior. Most butterflies live 2-6 weeks, but those in the migratory generation have a lifespan of approximately 9 months. Also, monarch butterflies that emerge after mid-August are no longer able to reproduce and move south to find overwintering grounds. From the Eastern US and southern Canada, they migrated toward Mexico. While migrating, they stop in places with many nectar resources and shelter from the weather. Once they reach central Mexico (usually in early November) they aggregate to protect themselves from predators and conserve energy so that they can survive winter. In March, the butterflies journey back to the US (mainly Texas and other southern states) to breed and lay eggs. That generation moves farther North and populates summer breeding grounds before the cycle continues.

Western Monarchs
Western monarch butterflies roost in Monterey cypress, Monterey pine, and other trees along the California coast. There, the conditions are very similar to those in Mexico. These colonies disperse earlier than the Eastern Monarchs, around mid-February.

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This behavior has become an adaptation through genetics. The collagen IV alpha-1 gene shows the divergence between populations that migrate and populations that don't. It is an important gene for muscle function and it shows selection for different flight muscles between populations that migrate and those that don't. Monarchs that have a low metabolic rate also migrate so they spend less energy while flying. They have the traits to migrate, and in response to their stimuli (less food and colder temperatures), they apply it and migrate south.

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I think that the benefits of social behavior as a whole for living things are increased survival and reproduction (fitness) and help from fellow organisms (altruism).

If organisms were not able to communicate, they would have a harder time surviving. For example, fish will swim in schools to protect themselves from predators. If they did not have that social aspect, they would be more susceptible to being eaten. Another example is humans working together to get a task done. For example, if a group of people are camping, they can group together to collect firewood. This makes the job easier so that they can survive easier. It is also important for reproduction. If humans couldn't communicate to each other that they want to reproduce, fitness would go down because reproduction isn't happening.

Altruism is also important to survival. In humans, if someone helps someone, that person will usually receive something in return. For example, if I mow my neighbor's lawn I may get cookies in return. That means that we now have a positive symbiotic relationship, and I can rely on them to make my survival easier if I need help. Without that social interaction, I wouldn't have that.

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https://monarchjointventure.org/monarch-biology/monarch-migration#:~:text=Most%20monarch%20butterflies%20that%20emerge,Canada%2C%20monarchs%20funnel%20toward%20Mexico.

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Monarch-Butterfly#:~:text=In%20spring%20the%20monarchs%20leave,into%20the%20Great%20Lakes%20region.

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All About Monarch Butterfly Migration - An Incredible Journey | The Monarch Joint Venture

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How do monarch butterflies migrate? Eastern monarch butterflies make an incredible journey across North America to overwinter in oyamel fir groves in Mexico. Western monarchs overwinter on the California coast.