Imagine standing in the beautiful mountains of central Mexico, surrounded by the gentle sounds of the forest. This is where something truly magical happens every year: the monarch butterfly migration!
Every year, millions of monarch butterflies travel all the way from the eastern United States and even as far as Canada to these special mountains. They come here to escape the cold winter back home. It’s like a big butterfly sleepover!
During their stay, the butterflies rest and live off the fat they stored in their bodies. When the weather gets warmer, a special signal inside them says, “It’s time to go home!” They then fly back to where they came from to start the next generation of butterflies. This incredible journey happens every year, and it’s one of the most amazing things you can see in nature.
Seeing all those butterflies is amazing, right? But there’s a problem. This wonderful event is in danger because of challenges along their migration path. The butterflies need our help to make sure they have enough food, safe places to lay their eggs, and a safe journey back home.
There are many ways we can help protect these beautiful creatures. Planting flowers that butterflies love, like milkweed, can give them the food they need. We can also make sure their habitats are safe and clean.
If you want to learn more about how to help the monarch butterflies and their incredible journey, check out more resources and videos. Together, we can make sure this magical migration continues for many years to come!
Butterfly Garden Creation: With the help of an adult, create a small butterfly garden at home or in your schoolyard. Plant flowers that monarch butterflies love, such as milkweed and other nectar-rich plants. Observe the butterflies that visit your garden and keep a journal of the different types you see. How many butterflies can you spot in a week?
Migration Map Activity: Use a map of North America to trace the migration path of the monarch butterflies from Canada and the eastern United States to the mountains of Mexico. Mark the starting and ending points and draw the route they might take. Discuss with your classmates why the butterflies choose this path and what challenges they might face along the way.
Butterfly Observation Walk: Take a walk in a nearby park or garden and look for butterflies. Bring a notebook and draw or write about the butterflies you see. What colors are they? How do they move? Try to identify if any of them are monarch butterflies. Discuss with a friend or family member why butterflies are important to the environment.
[FOREST SOUNDS] Welcome to the mountains of central Mexico. This is the site of one of the greatest events in nature: the annual monarch butterfly migration. Every year, tens of millions of monarch butterflies fly to these mountains from all over the eastern United States, as far away as Canada. They come here to escape the cold back home, essentially hibernating and living off stored fat until the temperatures warm up and a signal inside their bodies tells them it’s time to return home and start the next generation, continuing this tradition for years to come. It is one of the most amazing sights I’ve ever witnessed, and you have to see it for yourself. It’s just down this path. Let’s go.
[Peaceful Forest Noises] That was incredible, wasn’t it? Unfortunately, this amazing event is under threat due to various challenges facing this area and the entire migration path that these butterflies travel each year. We all need to do our part to ensure they have enough food, places to lay their eggs, and a safe place to return to. Check out our other video on It’s Okay To Be Smart if you want to learn more about this migration and discover ways you can help preserve it.
