THE SO-CALLED RECENT ICE AGE OF ABOUT 15 TO 20 THOUSAND YEARS AGO IS FLUTTERED AWAY BY ONE BUTTERLY——-
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. THEY SAY THIS ICE AGE COVERED MUCH OF BRITAIN AND EUROPE. THEY SAY THIS TOOK PLACE ABOUT 15 THOUSAND YEARS AGO 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 [PUN VERY INTENDED].
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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