By Mary Lundeberg – Spring and Fall are the seasons of migration, in which insects, birds and mammals, travel seeking food and shelter. This is the time of year that millions of beautiful monarch butterflies travel north up to 3,000 miles from Mexico to Canada, fluttering 44 miles per day on average. How do these tiny, fragile creatures weighing less than a dime, find their way over such a long distance? Their journey has amazed and puzzled scientists for years.
Monarch butterflies never fly at night because they can’t flap their wings with temperatures below 55 degrees. When they begin this journey, they are spread two thousand miles across the continent, but arriving in Mexico results in millions being condensed into fifty miles. Monarchs cluster together on tree limbs during the winter months, where they will live until spring, when they mate and travel north.
The monarch butterflies who migrate south are considered super monarchs. Instead of living only 4-7 weeks like the monarchs traveling north, they live up to 7-8 months. When the days shorten, compasses in their antennae directs them south. A magnetic compass orients them on cloudy days. Although it took two generations of their families to fly north last year, these super monarchs make the entire journey to a place they’ve never been before. How do they communicate this path to their offspring.
In the mid 1990’s, monarchs numbered one billion; that number is down by more than 90 percent. About 970 million have vanished. Threats include extreme weather and loss of habitat. Milkweed loss is a problem where the herbicide glyphosate, more commonly known as Roundup, has destroyed many acres of native plant habitat. Without milkweed, monarchs can’t survive their journey because it’s their only source of food.
Can we protect this natural wonder? Planting native milkweed alongside nectar plants can help fuel monarchs’ flights. Consider raising monarchs since predators such as wasps and anoles eat caterpillars. Please avoid pesticides, as well as systemic insecticides, such as neonicotinoids, which poisons caterpillars, butterflies, and other essential pollinators, such as bees.
Some monarch butterflies reside year-round in Florida. Noticing a beautiful orange and black creature fluttering about my garden brings me joy. But the monarch’s bright colors are not for beauty alone. The vivid colors warn predators that a monarch is harmful to eat.
Monarch butterflies symbolize hope and renewal in Native American cultures. For many people, their metamorphosis from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly represents resurrection and transcendence. Mysterious monarch butterflies remind us that change is part of life. Love butterflies? Consider joining the Peace River Butterfly Society or Sarasota County Butterfly Club.
See more photos and articles by Mary at MaryLundeberg.com.