Imagine trees covered in butterflies! That’s what I saw a few months ago on a mountain in central Mexico. Hi, I’m Joe, and I want to share the incredible journey of the monarch butterflies with you.
Every winter, millions of monarch butterflies from North America travel to this special place in Mexico. It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen. To get there, I had to fly, drive, ride a horse, and hike up to 10,000 feet above sea level. But the monarchs do it all on their own, using just their wings and incredible navigation skills.
The monarch butterfly migration is unique in the insect world. These butterflies travel up to 4,500 kilometers each way, north and south. Unlike birds, their journey takes several generations to complete.
In spring, monarchs start heading north. Each generation flies, mates, lays eggs, and then passes the journey on to the next generation. Most adult monarchs live only two to six weeks, so it takes four to five generations to reach their northern destination.
As summer ends, shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger female butterflies to lay a special generation of eggs. The caterpillars from these eggs grow into what’s called the “super generation.” These butterflies can fly all the way to Mexico in just one generation!
Hormones control many parts of a monarch’s life, like metamorphosis, migration, and mating. The “super generation” produces less of a certain hormone, which helps them live much longer—about eight times longer than other monarchs.
How do these butterflies know where to go? My friend Jason, a science journalist, explains that monarchs have a brain the size of a sesame seed but can still navigate accurately from North America to Mexico.
Monarchs have two internal clocks. One tells them when to migrate, and the other helps them navigate. They use a solar compass to read the sun’s position and their antennae to tell the time of day. This helps them keep the right direction, even on cloudy days.
Scientists have studied monarchs by putting them in flight simulators to see how they navigate. In Mexico, the butterflies hibernate and live off stored energy. When spring comes, their internal clock tells them it’s time to head north again.
Sadly, the super generation butterflies die after a few weeks, but not before laying eggs for the next generation to continue the journey. It’s amazing that these butterflies follow a map passed down from their great-great-grandparents!
Monarchs have been making this journey for millions of years. Their navigation skills are in their DNA. But there are still mysteries, like why they stop in this specific Mexican forest.
To help monarchs, we need to protect their habitats. This includes milkweed plants, which are essential for laying eggs, and flowers that provide nectar. By preserving these ecosystems, we can ensure the monarchs continue their incredible migration.
If you’re interested in learning more, check out the Atlas Obscura YouTube channel. They have a 180-degree VR video that lets you experience the butterfly forest. It’s a breathtaking adventure you won’t want to miss!
Using a large map of North America, trace the migration route of the monarch butterflies from Canada and the United States to Mexico. Mark key locations where monarchs stop along the way. Use different colors to represent each generation’s journey. This will help you visualize the incredible distance these butterflies travel.
Construct a 3D model of the monarch butterfly life cycle using craft materials. Include the stages of egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult butterfly. Label each stage and describe what happens during each phase. This hands-on activity will help you understand the transformation process of monarchs.
Research the ideal habitat for monarch butterflies and create a diorama or poster showcasing this environment. Include elements like milkweed plants and nectar flowers. Explain why these components are crucial for the survival and migration of monarchs. This activity will teach you about the importance of habitat conservation.
Participate in a classroom activity where you simulate the navigation skills of monarch butterflies. Use a compass and a clock to mimic how monarchs use the sun and their internal clocks to navigate. Discuss how these tools help monarchs find their way to Mexico. This will give you insight into their remarkable navigation abilities.
Watch the 180-degree VR video from the Atlas Obscura YouTube channel about the monarch butterfly forest. After viewing, discuss with your classmates what you learned and how it felt to experience the butterfly migration virtually. This activity will enhance your understanding of the monarchs’ journey and the importance of their conservation.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, removing any informal language and maintaining a professional tone:
—
The trees appear to be adorned with butterflies. I anticipated this experience would be remarkable, but it exceeded my expectations. That was my experience a few months ago on a mountain in central Mexico.
Hello, I’m Joe. Nearly every monarch butterfly in North America—tens of millions—migrates to this location each winter. It is truly one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever witnessed, and the journey to get there was quite challenging. I had to fly, drive, ride a horse, and hike to reach this elevation of approximately 10,000 feet above sea level. In contrast, the monarch butterflies rely solely on their wings and remarkable navigation abilities.
The monarch butterfly migration is unique and unparalleled in the insect world, resembling the migration patterns of certain bird species. These butterflies travel distances of up to 4,500 kilometers in each direction, north and south. However, a significant aspect that distinguishes this migration from that of birds and other animals is that it requires multiple generations of butterflies to complete the journey.
Our journey begins in spring when monarchs head north. This is a leap-frog migration, where each generation flies, mates, lays eggs, and ultimately passes the responsibility to the next generation. A typical adult monarch has a lifespan of only two to six weeks, necessitating four to five generations to reach their northern destination.
As summer wanes, the shorter days and cooler temperatures prompt female butterflies to lay a special generation of eggs. The caterpillars that emerge from these eggs are distinct from their parents, growing into what is known as a “super generation.” These “super generation” butterflies are capable of flying directly to Mexico in a single generation.
Most aspects of a monarch’s life—metamorphosis, migration, and mating—are regulated by hormones, which are chemicals in their bodies that signal various activities. “Super generation” monarchs produce less of a specific hormone, which effectively prevents them from aging, allowing them to live approximately eight times longer than other monarchs.
This “super generation” also develops differently as adults: they are larger, can fly farther, and are unable to reproduce, which is advantageous given the extensive journey ahead of them.
How does a creature with a brain the size of a sesame seed know to navigate to a specific location in Mexico, thousands of kilometers away? Fortunately, my colleague Jason was with me in Mexico, and he is well-equipped to explain this phenomenon.
My name is Jason Goldman, and I am a science journalist specializing in wildlife and conservation. Before my career in journalism, I studied animal cognition. It is remarkable that these insects, with approximately a million neurons and a brain the size of a sesame seed, can navigate from the northernmost parts of North America to the forests in Mexico with relative accuracy.
Almost every biological organism possesses some form of internal clock. In humans, our roughly 24-hour cycle regulates our wake and sleep patterns. Monarch butterflies have two internal clocks. One, located in their brains, is known as the circannual clock, which tracks annual cycles and signals when it is time to migrate south for the winter. The second clock is crucial for navigation.
Few animals possess a true mental map, but monarch butterflies do not follow a specific route; instead, they have a heading. They possess a solar compass that helps them navigate by reading the sun’s horizontal position throughout the day. To maintain their direction relative to the sun, they must also be aware of the time of day.
Monarch butterflies utilize their antennae, which serve more functions than merely sensing their environment. These antennae help them determine the time of day, allowing them to orient themselves correctly based on the sun’s position.
This navigation system is quite sophisticated. For instance, if their internal clock indicates it is mid-morning and they need to head south-southwest, the sun should be on their left. Conversely, if their antennae indicate it is late afternoon, the sun should be on their right. Special cells in their compound eyes can even detect the sun on cloudy days using polarized light.
Scientists have tested this navigation ability by placing monarch butterflies in flight simulators to observe their orientation. These butterflies spend the winter in Mexico, essentially hibernating and living off stored energy. As spring arrives, their internal seasonal clock signals that it is time for the super generation to depart, prompting changes in their bodies. They begin producing the hormone that allows them to age, becoming reproductively active, and they start their journey north, once again tracking the sun.
Sadly, within a few weeks, every one of these super generation butterflies will perish, but not before the females lay eggs that will become the next generation to continue this remarkable migration.
What fascinates me is that the butterflies migrating south are following a map inherited from their great-great-grandparents, who lived and died months before they were born. It seems almost magical, but these skills are encoded in their genetics. As these genetic traits are passed down through generations, the behaviors associated with them are also transmitted.
There is evidence that monarch butterflies have been undertaking this journey for millions of years. It is an instinctual behavior ingrained in their biology. Their sun compass and antenna clock are encoded in their DNA, forming an unbroken lineage that spans millions of generations.
However, there are still mysteries to unravel. It is not enough for the butterflies to know their destination; they must also understand their current location. The reasons behind their choice to stop in this specific Mexican forest remain unknown. To solve this mystery, we must ensure that the butterflies continue to return.
We are searching for a very special plant: milkweed, a native species essential for the butterflies to lay their eggs. The caterpillars rely on this plant for nourishment as they grow into the next generation.
Preserving the monarch migration involves more than just protecting the forests in Mexico; it encompasses the preservation of plants like milkweed and the habitats that support them. This includes safeguarding the flowers that provide nectar to fuel their migration. It is about protecting an entire ecosystem, and everyone can contribute to this effort.
This topic invites reflection and consideration. Studying such a vast migration is challenging; it took scientists many years to understand the specifics of this phenomenon.
For more information, I invite you to visit the Atlas Obscura YouTube channel, where we explore the story of how scientists discovered this location in Mexico and its significance to the local communities. Atlas Obscura serves as a definitive guide to the world’s hidden wonders, and this certainly qualifies.
If you are curious about the experience of being there, we have created a 180-degree VR video inside the butterfly forest. It is a stunning experience that you will surely enjoy.
—
This version maintains the informative content while adopting a more formal tone.
Migration – The seasonal movement of animals from one region to another. – Many birds undergo migration to warmer climates during the winter months.
Butterflies – Insects with large, often brightly colored wings, known for their role in pollination. – Butterflies help pollinate flowers as they move from plant to plant collecting nectar.
Generation – A group of organisms living at the same time, regarded collectively. – The new generation of frogs will emerge from the pond in the spring.
Navigation – The process by which animals find their way over long distances. – Sea turtles use the Earth’s magnetic field for navigation during their long journeys across the ocean.
Metamorphosis – A biological process by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous change in form or structure. – The metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly is a fascinating transformation.
Habitats – The natural environments in which an organism lives. – Forests, deserts, and oceans are examples of different habitats where various species thrive.
Ecosystems – Communities of living organisms interacting with their physical environment. – Coral reefs are vibrant ecosystems that support a diverse range of marine life.
Milkweed – A type of plant that is crucial for the survival of monarch butterflies. – Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed plants, which provide food for the caterpillars.
Nectar – A sweet liquid produced by flowers to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. – Bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey.
Caterpillars – The larval stage of butterflies and moths, characterized by a worm-like appearance. – Caterpillars spend most of their time eating leaves to prepare for their transformation into butterflies.
