Monarch Gardening

Monarch Migration

      Monarch butterflies are incapable of surviving the harsh, cold climate of the northern areas of America and the southern region of Canada during the winter. Around October (and sometimes earlier if the weather demands it, for it could become colder sooner than October) the Monarchs migrate 2,500 miles down towards Mexico. Some even reside in southern California because, like in Mexico, it is generally warm all year long. Where they go depends on where they lived during the summer. If they had been east of the Rocky Mountains, they migrate to Mexico. Living west of the Rocky Mountains would take them to Pacific Grove to hibernate during the winter. They cannot pass over the mountain range because of the freezing temperatures in that high altitude. In Mexico, the butterflies live and hibernate in Oyamel Fir trees. Eucalyptus trees house the Monarchs around and in Pacific Grove. It is but a mystery how the next generation of butterflies uses the exact same trees as the generation before. They fly back to their previous homes in the middle of spring. This cycle is repeated year after year, but every year, the Monarch population drops a considerable amount.

     Monarch butterflies migrate for two reasons. The first is that they cannot withstand the freezing temperatures in their summer residence during the winter months. The second is that none of the food and larval plants necessary for survival and reproduction can grow in the cold climates. All in all, migration is necessary for the Monarchs. Another problem for the Monarchs is that the overwintering sites for these butterflies are in danger of disappearing due to the excavation of trees. What will the monarchs do when all their trees are gone? We need to help the monarchs by preserving their habitats to save this wonderful species.