JOURNEY OF THE
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
from NOVA
THE STRANGEST MIGRATION IN THE WORLD.
FROM PARTS OF SOUTHERN CANADA AND PARTS OF NORTHERN USA , TO MEXICO.
STARTING FROM A TINY CATERPILLAR TO A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY, THAT WILL FLY THOUSANDS OF MILES AND NAVIGATE UNLIKE ANYTHING ELSE IN NATURE.
THIS BUTTERFLY HAS NEVER TAKEN A LONG JOURNEY BEFORE; TO A PLACE THEY’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE; TO A SPOT IN THE MEXICAN MOUNTAINS, ARRIVING EXACTLY THE SAME TIME EACH YEAR.
IT IS UNIQUE - NOTHING LIKE IT!
IN AUGUST JUST NORTH OF LAKE HURON A MIRACLE OF NATURE IS ABOUT TO UNFOLD.
A TINY CATERPILLAR IS ABOUT TO BECOME A MONARCH BUTTERFLY.
IN ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE WORLD, THIS CATERPILLAR WILL SHED ITS SKIN 4 TIMES.
THE 5TH TIME THE CATERPILLAR DISAPPEARS.
IT IS TRANSFORMED INSIDE A CHRYSALIS IN WHICH A COMPLETE NEW CREATURE IS MADE.
AFTER ABOUT 10 DAYS IN THE CHRYSALIS THE NEW CREATURE IS COMPLETE.
ALL TRASES OF THE CATERPILLAR ARE GONE. AND IN ITS PLACE IS A BUTTERFLY WITH 4 DELICATE WINGS.
BUT THE NEW MONARCH BUTTERFLY MUST WAIT A FEW HOURS FOR ITS WINGS TO HARDEN—— THEN IT CAN FLY.
THIS PARTICULAR MONARCH BUTTERFLY IS SPECIAL!
EVERY YEAR A MILLION OR MORE OF THEM BEGIN AN ASTONISHING MIGRATION.
COMING FROM SOUTHERN CANADA AND NORTH-EAST USA, EACH BUTTERFLY WILL TRAVEL ABOUT 2,000 MILES ARRIVING TWO MONTHS LATER IN MEXICO.
Their trip is a carefully planned migration that started 3 generations back, when a group of monarchs left Mexico at the end of winter. They flew north to the Gulf States, mated and died. The next generation flew to the Northern States [central to east] - mated and died, only living about a month.
Their offspring - 3rd generation completed the last leg to Canada, mated and died, living also only about a month.
But the 4th generation will live about 9 months - flying back to Mexico, one epic trip.
It’s an amazing cycle that so far alludes explanation.
The amazement starts immediately for no one knows what triggers the exodus from Canada.
The new butterfly starts on a long journey they’ve never done before, to a place they’ve never seen before.
They are following something we just don’t know how they do it. It’s an incredible journey.
A Monarch’s wings span is just under 4 inches; and they weigh less than a 1/5 of an ounce.
How they survive their marathon journey is another mystery.
They only fly when conditions are perfect.
If it’s too cold they get sluggish and can’t flap their wings.
It it’s too hot they stop flying so they don’t get over heated.
They must also stop often for nectar and water. But every time they land their can be enemies lurking—— cats, spider webs, bad weather, thunder storms.
If it survives it must fly 50 miles a day to get to Mexico.
The effort is remarkable for a creature so small and with fragile wings.
Scientists say to travel so far there are simply a bad design.
[God laughs at them, for what seems impossible to man is possible to God - Keith Hunt]
They have to do much gliding.
[So there’s the answer—— light and 4 wings made for gliding - Keith Hunt]
Just days in to their long flight we have the Great Lakes—— huge body of water, and changing wings, they can’t see across them.
They use their sense of wind to carry them across. They may catch a ride on a boat, rest and wait for the wind to change.
Their destination is 60 square miles, 10,000 feet up in Mexico.
THE LOCAL PEOPLE have lived here for hundreds of years, they believe the monarchs represent the spirits of their ancestors, and the arrival of the Butterflies begins a celebration— they call “day of the dead.”
The Butterflies fly through the town, into homes, and the people until recently did not know they came from faraway Canada.
It was not until 1975 that the people found out about their remarkable journey. Butterflies tagged in Canada were found spending the winter in this ares of Mexico.
SITES
There are 12 specific sites in these mountains where they come to.
This is their only destination in the world. It’s a perfect place for them because of the unique climate.
The forests of trees is shade from the heat of the sun; protection from rain; and the heat from the ranks of the trees give off heat when it’s cold, to the million of more monarchs.
The Monarch Butterfly lives in other part of the world, but the Monarchs of south Canada and North USA, only travel such a distance to miss death in a cold winter.
But how they navigate is an unsolved mystery. There are theories but they are just theories.
Science has discovered things in their brain that regulates their internal clock that helps keep them on course.
At the University of Kansas— Chip Taylor studies the forces at work in their migration.
In 1992 Taylor started a project called Monarch Watch. Children and adults tag them; it doers not hurt or hinder their flight; the tag shows their flight path and even their speed.
Taylor says, “We took them to Washington, D.C. and at first they behaved as still in Kansas. They started to fly direct south. But within a few days changed course to South-West. They ended up in the right place in Mexico.”
Further Taylor said, “They were able to know the direction to go from Washington D.C. —— that’s pretty cool!”
About a month into the migration the monarchs are gathering into huge flocks.
…………………………
TO BE CONTINUED WITH PART TWO——
JUST THINK, HOW COULD EVOLUTION COME UP WITH SUCH A TINY LITTLE CREATURE THAT IS FIRST A CATERPILLAR AND THEN A BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY? DOES EVOLUTION TALK TO ITSELF AND SAY, “WELL LET’S EVOLVE ONE STRAIN OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, IN NORTH AMERICA, THAT CAN FLY TO MEXICO, TO A PLACE THEY DO NOT KNOW, AND A FLIGHT THEY’VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.”
I MEAN HOW DOES EVOLUTION FIGURE IT ALL OUT TO EVOLVE A TINY BRAIN THAT CAN DO THESE TWO THINGS. AND WHY BOTHER IN THE FIRST PLACE?
WHY NOT JUST LET THE MONARCHS LIVE AND BREED LIKE OTHER MONARCHS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, AND NOT BOTHER WITH A 2,000 MILE JOURNEY TO ONE SPECIFIC AREA IN MEXICO.
JUST GIVING BIRTH TO BUTTERFLIES FROM A CATERPILLAR IS MIRACULOUSLY CRAZY STUFF TO BEGIN WITH. WHY WOULD EVOLUTION DECIDE TO DO IT THIS WAY?
DOES EVOLUTION TALK TO ITSELF AND SIT DOWN AROUND A ROUND TABLE AND SAY, “NOW LET’S MAKE A BUTTERFLY THIS WAY… A WAY THAT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE TO COMPREHEND, AND CERTAINLY NOT LOGICAL, A LONG WAY AROUND TO PRODUCE A BUTTERFLY.”
THIS ONE LITTLE DELICATE CREATURE AND HOW IT BECOMES A BUTTERFLY, SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO TELL ANYONE THAT THERE IS A CREATOR GOD BEING, WHO WAS BEHIND HOW A BUTTERFLY WOULD COME INTO BEING.
AND THEN HAVE ONE BATCH OF THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY IN NORTH AMERICA, FLY ALL THE WAY TO MEXICO TO AVOID THE COLD WINTER—— SUCH A DOING BLASTS EVOLUTION INTO A BILLION TRILLION PIECE OF GOO-BI-GOO NONSENSE.
BUT AS GOD HAS SAID IN HIS WORD, ONLY THE FOOL HAS SAID IN HIS HEART THERE IS NO GOD.
JOURNEY OF THE
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
from NOVA —Part 2
BY THE TIME THEY’VE TRAVELLED ABOUT HALF WAY ACROSS AMERICA, OVER THE INDUSTRIAL BELT, THROUGH SMALL MID-WESTERN TOWNS, ACROSS THE GREAT PLAINS, AND FINALLY APPROACHING THE SOUTH-WEST.
NOBODY KNOWS HOW MANY MONARCHS DIE ALONG THE WAY.
BUT IF THEY MAKE IT TO MEXICO THERE’S ANOTHER THREAT!
The destination to the forest in Mexico that will keep them alive for the winter, is in danger.
In 1986 the Mexican Government protected some areas as official sites for the Butterfly. Suddenly logging limits for those dependant on this for livelihood, were off limits. So now illegal logging was a threat to the Monarch Butterflies.
We all have needs, but those who cannot meet their needs, they are the ones doing the clandestine logging.
They come at 2 our 3 in the morning and do the logging, after which they go down to sell their wood in the market of towns.
Mexican police patrol the forest but they’ve not been able to stop the logging.
Some villagers are paid to help stop the logging, but are no match for the forces of the ones logging. They are dangerous people. They will follow you and kill you.
Who would allow their children to die of hunger?
It’s important to preserve the forest for the Butterfly, but for the needs of people, the illegal logging has not been able to be stopped.
We’re talking about hundreds of hectares of forest and then burned; to try and cover their work, which alludes all thinking.
Less and less are left for the Butterflies, and less trees means less protection from the cold, so freezing to death is a real reality now for these tiny creatures.
With sanctuary now sinking, a bad winter in Mexico can mean terrible consequences for the Butterfly.
In one storm 80% can die in one sanctuary.
A bad Spring and few are left to breed and migrate.
We do not know what the critical number is.
LET’S BACK UP TO OCTOBER——
The Butterflies are almost at the Mexican border. They are one flock about 50 miles wide.
One year the Butterflies were late.
Bill Calvery has been studying them for 30 years——
“Well this [weather] is perfect, but no butterflies…. We are concerned the migration would be un-noticed or disappear completely. The prediction is this is going to be the lowest number ever.”
At the end of the day Bill decides to look in one secluded area of the woods.
“Let’s see what we have in there—— O Wow, look at them, 100s of thousands. It’s a beautiful creature and it’s travelled thousands of miles— it staggers the mind.”
The Butterflies have been travelling 6 weeks from Canada. But they still face the most treacherous part of the journey, they must fly over scorching desert and fly over the mountains.
They follow the mountains for 9 hundred miles.
Late October in Mexico—— the butterflies are expected soon, and the people prepare to welcome them.
One person says, “It’s a privilege God has sent us the Butterflies. We earn our living at this time. We have a community that is quite poor. In this season we earn enough to make a living, it’s not a lot of money but you can rely on it.”
They make things to sell to those who come to see the arrival of the Butterflies.
As they wait for the Monarchs they pray for their survival, along with the spirits of their loved ones.
Candles are lit at night.
It’s now the first week in November.
The children look.
Swarms of Butterflies arrive by the 100s of thousands!
After 2 months and thousands of miles the Butterflies have reached safety.
Millions of them arrive over the next few days.
And the people rejoice—— fireworks, parties, games, feasting!
Now with their long journey behind them the Monarch Butterflies rest.
They huddle together in clusters and cling to the trees for warmth. They will leave the trees occasionally to feed on nectar and water. But they return to their clusters and stay there for 5 months.
WHEN SPRING ARRIVES the Butterflies bloom again; they open up their wings to the sun, warming up to the flight they must do. Most of these Monarchs will travel back to Texas; there they will stop to mate.
Each female will lay 300-400 fertilized eggs.
After the eggs are laid the parents will die.
When the new generation hatches they will fly north mating along the way.
The third generation will do the same.
It’s almost a full year since the migration began.
A special fourth generation of Monarchs will be born in Canada, and the migration will begin again.
What difference would it be if we lost these Monarchs - what difference would it be if we lost the music of Mozart, Handel, or other great music composers?
It’s all a part of us now!
The flight of the Monarch Butterfly is unique— it’s breathtaking to those who see them arrive by the millions in Mexico.
It’s unique in the entire animal kingdom, there is nothing like it.
IT’S AN INCREDIBLE JOURNEY!
…………………………
THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THERE WAS AN ICE-AGE WAY BACK WHEN; SOME CLAIM CANADA AND THE TOP HALF OF THE USA WAS COVERED WITH ONE MILE OF ICE OR MORE.
THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY WOULD THEN HAVE BEEN LIKE OTHER MONARCHS, IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, HAPPY TO JUST STAY IN THEIR WARM LOCAL HABITAT.
AFTER THE ICE-AGE [WHICH I BELIEVE NEVER HAPPENED] WAS GONE, I CAN SEE OVER TIME THE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES COULD HAVE MOVED FURTHER NORTH, BUT TO SOMEHOW GET EVOLUTION TO TALK TO ITSELF AND DEVISE A COMPLICATED MIGRATION TO MEXICO, WITH THE 4 OR SO GENERATIONS TO COMPLETE THE ROUND TRIP, AND TO ONLY ONE SPECIFIC PART OF MEXICO, IS WILD THINKING WITH A PLANET PLUTO BRAIN OF DEEP DEEP FROZEN CELLS.
AS I SAID AT THE END OF PART ONE, HOW DOES EVOLUTION SIT DOWN AND THINK UP SUCH A LIVING CYCLE, ONE GENERATION LIVING FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS, TAKING A JOURNEY THEY’VE NEVER DONE BEFORE, TO A PLACE THEY’VE NEVER BEEN TO BEFORE, AND THE JOURNEY BACK BROKEN UP INTO STAGES WHERE THE BUTTERFLIES ONLY LIVE FOR ABOUT A MONTH, BUT THE LAST BUTTERFLIES TO START THE MIGRATION ALL OVER AGAIN LIVE FOR ABOUT 9 MONTHS.
THIS MIND-BENDING GENETIC MARVEL OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES DOING SUCH A ROUND TRIP TO MEXICO AND BACK, IN STAGES, DEFIES ALL LOGIC.
EVOLUTION CAN NOT TALK TO ITSELF, CAN NOT SIT DOWN AROUND THE PLANNING DESK AND DISCUSS HOW IT WILL BREAK UP THIS MIGRATION INTO SECTIONS.
I MEAN HOW DOES EVOLUTION FIGURE OUT IN MINUTE DETAIL HOW TO TURN A CATERPILLAR INTO A BUTTERFLY, THE AMOUNT OF CHANGES THAT HAVE TO TAKE PLACE, EXACTLY IN SINK WITH EACH OTHER IN THE MOVING OF GENETICS, TO HAVE IT ALL COME OUT CORRECTLY, IS MIND-BLOWING IN ITSELF.
AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOUSANDS OF THINGS ON THIS LIVING PLANET, THAT LOOKING DEEPLY INTO, MAKE THE TEACHING OF EVOLUTION A LAUGH, ONE OF THE BIGGEST LAUGHS YOU COULD HAVE.
Keith Hunt
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