The Monarch Butterfly in Mexico
In the north (the United States and Canada) these fragile creatures are spread out, but in Mexico almost all of them go to the top of the same mountain in Angangueo.
The population is so dense that you can hear the sound of the flapping of their wings when the sun hits the trees and they take off to fly in the sun.
And when the monarchs are in the trees the branches bend from their weight.
___________________click the photo to see it in color_________________
During the summer the monarch lives in the northern US and Canada. At the end of the
summer it begins it's southward migration and on November 1st punctually all the monarchs
arrive in Michoacan.
They spend the winter in Michoacan, Mexico and mate and in the spring return north. As
these fragile creatures have a lifespan of only a few months the monarchs who came to
Mexico from Canada are not the ones who return, but their offspring. So the monarch
migrating to Canada in the spring never went there before. And likewise the monarch
leaving Canada and the northern US to migrate to Mexico never went there before. Each trip
is a new generation, but yet each new generation knows to return to this same mountain. So
if they can find it, so can you.
Take a bus from Mexico City to Zitacuaro, Michoacan. Then a local bus for about one hour
to Angangueo.
Most hotels here offer fireplaces and firewood as it gets cool at that altitude.
In our hotel the fireplace backed up as it was some time since they cleaned the chimney.
In the morning you hire a pick-up truck to take you up the mountain and after a half hour
bumpy ride over a dirt trail you climb for another half hour on foot to see this miracle.
Going up the mountain you pass small remote villages whose life is dedicated to the
butterly where almost everyone is engaged in the task of making monarch butterfly
souvenirs. You can find monarch butterfly plates; napkin holders; pins; the people of the
town are most grateful to the Canadian who discovered that the monarch migrates here in
the winter.
Thanks to him they have a thriving tourist industry.
So why didn't the locals realize the monarchs were their neighbors?
They were either too busy in the mines or partying.
In it's trip south the little butterfly travels about 70 miles per day; it travels over
1,800 miles in about 25 days.
And it's only a few inches long. It only flies during the day. During the night they eat.
The descendants from last year's trip feed on alkaloid plants commonly called swamp
milkweed or cow's tongue which are poisonous to other species. For the monarch
this is a form of protection as if a bird would try to eat it the bird would die from an
accelerating heart rate. Knowing this all the birds leave the colorful monarch alone.
Click on any photo
to see it in color enlarged with more information
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 Yes, the trees do bend from their weight! Hard to believe but true! |
 They even cover the ground and alight on your arm and head they are friendly creatures |
 After mating the male has used all his energy. The female who doesn't understand this wants to chat but the poor tired male wants to sleep or watch TV but as his wife keeps bothering him, he dies |
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 This tree is covered with monarchs |
 Here our guide explains the difference between the male and female monarch this was the highlight of the adventure for me |
