Monarch Marveler Momentous Migration

Epilogue to The Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis

In my last post I share the incredible emergence of the Monarch butterfly from its chrysalis. We witnessed the entire metamorphosis of the Monarch butterfly in the last four posts. I want to thank you all for sharing this odyssey with me . . .  from egg to butterfly. Your generous comments and support mean a great deal to me. Thank You! My last caterpillar is beginning to spin his or her silk button and will become a chrysalis tomorrow. I was happy to release yet another perfect male into the garden a few hours ago. Now there are other Monarch butterflies in the gardens and fields fueling up for their marvelous migration to Mexico. 

It is said that butterflies link us to spirits . . . they are messengers from souls. The word for butterfly in French is papillon, in Spanish its mariposa, in Hebrew it is parpar, in Japanese cho cho and the ancient Greeks word for soul . . .  psyche . . .  was the same for butterfly. Psyche “an emblem of the immortal soul by reason of its passing through a kind of death in the pupa (youth) stage and a resurrection in the adult.”  The pupa or chrysalis is somewhat mummy like from one perspective. Metamorphosis simply by its being allows for a creature to live in two different environments. A mere insect . . .  the order LEPIDOPTERA . . .  from Greek lepis . . .  for scale and pteron . . .  for wing. Scale covered wings with pigments. Rudolf Steiner believed they were once part of flowers . . .  petals/wings . . .  sensors or antennae/stamens set free. All butterflies are surely as beautiful as any bloom and animate our gardens with their colorful wings and antics. When we chance to see a butterfly, there is a feeling of magic and awe about. The Monarch or Danaus plexippus has a great sense of its wings. It sails through layers of sky seemingly carefree with determination and great skill. Monarch butterflies are great navigators. They float and glide in between fluttering. This aerial mastery helps the butterfly accomplish its long migration.

Here a female Monarch is sunning . . . note the wider veins and the end of her abdomen being different from the dapper male below. 

The male can be recognized also by the teeny black sacs on both hindwings . . . these sacs or pouches are filled with scent scales. Both male and female butterflies emerging now will not have fully developed sexual parts. They need all their reserves for flying south . . . no time for distractions or diversions. Somehow they will not become fully developed until spring, when the temperatures in Mexico warm and they begin their reverse migration towards Texas, where they will lay eggs and die. It will take four or five generations for the Monarchs to reach Flower Hill Farm next summer.

These late bloomers will live for up to six or eight months, where the earlier spring and summer Monarchs mate and live for only two to six weeks. Here a later Monarchs sips rich food from Joe-Pye Weed, before flying off on her long arduous journey to her overwintering sites in Mexico. She will join other Monarch butterflies along the way feeding and resting overnight in roosts or clusters high in trees. You might be lucky enough to see one of these! Hundreds and thousands of butterflies hanging like leaves from treetops. 

Several years ago I too took flight in to Mexico in order to see the amazing Monarch colonies high up in the Sierra Campanario and Sierra Chincua. My southern flight was much easier and quicker than that of the Monarch Butterfly's nearly 3,000 mile journey. Once there and out of Mexico City, we had a friendly driver, who drove the group up the bumpy and steep roads, to where we would begin our hike towards the overwintering colonies. 

The landscape is lovely and the people warm and friendly. The buildings above hold merchandise for tourists visiting the butterfly colonies and help the indigenous peoples. The colonies are under continued assault from illegal logging. This post is not intended to give you all the information on the colonies but more my observations. You can learn a great deal here.

After purchasing a hat and T-shirt we began our trek up the mountain. 

We visited two colonies and each had a unique path towards our goal. Sierra Campanario I believe was far less difficult a climb. 

There were not as many butterflies there that year. Still I was excited to see these clusters and wondered if any of the hundred or so I raised that year may have made it to this destination. I must share one detail about arriving near the colonies. There were so many butterflies suddenly flying down the mountain side that the bus carrying our group could only drive about five miles an hour so as not to injure any butterflies. The first place we would see butterflies in large numbers was along the road. For some reason I just wanted to experience the moment without my 35 Mm Pentax camera. I did regret it! Others in the group were bird watching and I continue walking on hoping to see what our guide had described as "Monarchs streaming down the mountainside." After a few minutes walk I did indeed see just that! Thousands of Monarch butterflies flying down the mountainside in front of me like a stream and turning just before where I stood along a wide dirt path, then turning off to the left about twenty feet ahead. It was amazing and I was all alone. I so wanted to share this moment but did not want to leave. I kept looking back to see if any of the others were coming. Someone finally did come, but it was sadly to tell me the others were waiting and that we must leave. I thought we should have the others come to see this amazing sight. The colorful ribbon just kept flowing . . . beautiful sunlit shimmering orange and black with white dots . . . a narrow river of butterflies! Diane had to coax me away nearly in tears. This as it turns out was the most magical moment of the entire trip for me . . . in terms of butterflies that is. I would not be as close to the Monarchs again on this tour. 

Seeing these clusters was magical and my camera could not capture the remarkable beauty of the butterflies hanging like leaves in the fir forest. 

We did not arrive up in the colony until late in the day . . .  the light was not right for capturing these beautiful butterfly groups. 

The next day we began  hiking up Sierra Chincua to a larger colony. It was a very difficult climb and took over an hour, if I remember correctly. A stunning hike with needed rest stops along the way. Hiking through the forest closer to the colony, we saw many butterflies lit up by the sun, as they danced through the fir trees. Hundreds were climbing up the bark of the fir trees, but my photos of those were lost. There was dappled light in the colony when we finally arrive. I was breathless in more ways than one upon seeing the thousands of butterflies hanging in the trees. Streamers hanging on . . .  one butterfly to another . . . those tiny hooks on the feet helping them cling to one another . . . building a mass of butterfly leaves that seem to belong to the trees. 

The images are poor but they were mine . . . nothing like the wonderful shots in National Geographic. I did not even have a telephoto lens. I realized too late how ill prepared I was to capture these. Still the experience of being there in the moment was fabulous. Our guide had to persuade me it was time to leave . . . for there was never enough time for me. Next time I will be sure to arrange to have more time at the actual colonies. Of course I understand that tourist can create problems for the Monarchs. We had to stay rather faraway from the large canopy of butterflies and watch carefully where we stepped.

While walking away, I took these tragic photos of so many thousands of butterflies, who made the incredible migration only to die in the end. Mosaic carpets of dry Monarchs were strewn about the forrest floor. Winters can be cold and due to the illegal logging going on to this day, much of the insulation to the colonies is being lost. Cold winds and frosts and sometimes heavy snow will kill a portion of the colony each year. Monarchs are not considered an endangered group but their overwintering sites are. If you would like to learn more and help you might like to visit WWF and Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation .

A streamlet reflects the azure blue sky these Monarchs will never soar in again. Utterly beautiful and heartbreaking. 

Our guide Bill Calvert leads me out of the forest to catch up with the other hikers. It would have been a long and hard trek back down if not for these . . . 

Ponies! We arrived too late to get help from them going up. Our young friendly leader had been helping folks up and down the mountain since age six, along with his father I am sure. He is very gentle with the ponies and I was very grateful for their carrying me down the mountain. 

Bill took us to many spectacular restaurants with very kind staff and delicious food. It was a great trip and extraordinary to see where the Monarch butterflies overwinter.

 I will close this series of posts with a story about one Monarch butterfly I knew, who could not fly. I called her Flutterbye and she and I were housemates for six months. There was a slight error in one of the chrysalises that year. Right where the antennae forms are waiting . . . there was an incomplete drying leaving an sliver of an opening in the chrysalis. I was not sure if the butterfly would make it. A female did emerge right before I was headed to NYC, for a few days visit. I noticed one of her antennae was crooked but did not know what the consequences would be for the butterfly. I took her out into the gardens, after her wings were dry and waited for her to take flight from my finger. She did try but fell to the ground over and again and then tried to fly from plant and shrub but continuously fell to the ground. If I had left her she would have fallen prey to some chipmunk or squirrel. 

I decided I would care for my flight challenged butterfly and so we began our life together. Not having any knowledge of how to do this . . . I immediately call the expert Dr. Lincoln Brower, who was so kind and helpful. I had to keep the house on the cooler side so that she would not try to fly and become flustered from fluttering helplessly. Each morning I began the day by holding her in my hand and feeding her honey water. It was diluted enough not to cause her proboscis to seal. I did towards the end have to unwind it so that she could sip the home made nectar . . . for she became too weak. Flutterbye would hang out on my shoulder while I read and we had a quiet contemplative winter together. I know she was sick about not being able to fly . . . she was intended for flight. I tried to comfort her with plants and a loving environment. She lived nearly a full life, if but a sheltered and imprisoned one. 

During those six months I came to understand more about the Monarch butterfly through studying Flutterbye's behavior. I wish she could have flown to Mexico . . . that she might have a normal butterfly life . . . if that was not her fate, I am glad that she was with me. She did ride along with me to NYC and when we walked past the doorman he excitedly asked "Is that a butterfly!?" She delighted many in her brief life! Perhaps seeing a butterfly so closely opened other hearts and imaginations towards the plight of these incredible insects. 

A Regal Emergence Monarch Metamorphosis Final Act!

Welcome to the crowning moment of the Monarch butterfly metamorphosis!  It is a miraculous birth of unending wonder. Whether having seen it once or hundreds of times, each thrilling happening holds you captivated and inspired by the miracle of life. Butterfly emergence alert! Note the accordion-like ridges at the top of the chrysalis . . . this is a sure sign the butterfly is about to emerge. If you look at the earlier shots in the last post you will clearly see the difference. The top of the chrysalis is very smooth without the open ridges in it's earlier stages.

Last time in Act III a sneak peek at Aria's chrysalis form completely changed within was presented . . .  her butterfly wings singing out through the clear chrysalis casing. In Act I . . . though I did not call her by name . . . you are able to see her teeny, glossy black caterpillar head inside her eggshell and watch as she grows, molts and munches her landscape of milkweed.  We can recall how in Act II . . .  as a caring caterpillar . . .  with a title of 'fifth instar' . . . she cleverly crafts her silk button and secures it about the sedum stem. In Act III Aria's last magical molt reveals a jade green jewel-like chrysalis dangling from her 'crewmaster' carefully attached to hundreds of threads of silk. Now we can see how her handiwork will support her through the final act of her metamorphosis. She weighs less now than when she began her chrysalis stage and presently. . . as a butterfly . . .  is ready to be free . . .  to dry and fly. In amazement we can watch as she shoves open the door of her chrysalis casing . . .  then steadfastly she slides and flops out into her new life . . . cautiously catching herself in the act.

WHEW! Aria is safely holding on for dear life to her chrysalis casing. Her tiny wet wings are useless to her now and her life depends on the chrysalis and silk button holding fast, for if they were to fall apart she too would fall . . .  to certain death. When she tumbles out, her legs become like strings to a parachute . . . her chrysalis the parachute! Quite the acrobat, she can perform many acts at the same time. While catching herself, she also immediately works several of her new parts. Her tongue or proboscis must be wound and unwound till both pieces work as a straw-like form. You can see her moving her palpi . . . the two mostly white small extensions next to her proboscis and first pair of tiny legs.  The palpi along with her antennae will heighten her sense of smell. Her sight is more complex with compound eyes filled with thousands of little lens similar to our camera lens, that perceive light and forms. Traces of milkweed white juice are found dotted along Aria's thorax, abdomen and orange and black wings. 

Aria's abdomen is pumping blood into the veins of her wings. Cass and Polly still hang nearby in their chrysalis form. 

Within minutes, as her wings inflate, Aria moves up along the sedum stem allowing the delicate wet fabric-like wings more room to hang and dry.

Aria and one of the Muses, who emerges before I wake, will hold onto the sedum stem and leaf, much like lovely garments on a clothes line, until their wings are dry and hardened.

Here is another Muse about to exit and enter as a new creature!

Another free fall into life! 

How about a different perspective this time . . . what a plump abdomen . . . filled with the life blood of the butterfly wings and body. What a clever way to fit those magical wings into the small casing!

There is something about that design that captivates my imagination!

Spreading wet wings suddenly fill the space with color.

Another Muse descends upon the scene . . . that makes three.

Perhaps that is a sac on the third black line from the abdomen way. It seems we might have a male Muse! I had to use a wine glass to hold up the Hosta leaf . . . not the leaf of choice . . . for the photographer . . .  but the caters sure love it.

Once Aria is adjusted to her new parts and her wings are dry, she lets me know she is ready to go, by flapping her wings. I quickly and gently encourage her to climb on my finger. Then as I have done many times before, I walk a flawless, fresh butterfly out into the garden. Each time I walk this way I feel so blessed. This day I carefully place Aria onto a bloom of butterfly bush . . . how perfect can that be. Other times hundreds of butterflies have found my finger useful as a flight pad . . . while I . . . the lucky one . . . watch in amazement, as they take their first flight. I whisper "Good Luck" as they flap and ready for take off. Sometimes I find they are in no hurry and will spend a few moments on the tip of my forefinger moving all their new parts about . . . much like our exercises . . .  to strengthen each tiny muscle. Aria is a fine fully formed female emerging in mid August. I am not certain if she will stay in the garden, for a two week life span . . . mate, lay eggs then sadly die . . .  or if she is destined for a six month life span, which includes a long perilous journey to Mexico . . .  for I understand migration has begun. 

Aria and one of the Muses seem content and add magic and beauty to the garden. They will spend more quiet time adjusting to their new selves before feeding and flying freely. 

Later in the week Cass and Polly emerge . . . only Cass is a girl not a twin boy! She does remind me somewhat of her comical caterpillar self with her antennae held in a similar way to her once animated tentacles. What an enchanting colorful creature to have known during her changing life. Now ready for flight . . .  she has a large world to join  . . .   

and we are left with only green and an empty clear chrysalis casing. A lovely keepsake.    Knowing caterpillars and butterflies this way certainly makes any ordinary day seem remarkable . . . memories that add magical fibers to the fabric of our lives . . . building a better understanding of the natural world we all hold dear and with great reverence.

This is the final act of the Monarch Butterfly's Metamorphosis, although not the end of our journey together, if you care to join me on a trip to Mexico . . .  I took some years ago. I traveled with a group led by one of the first American biologist to discover the overwintering sites of the Monarch Butterflies. Of course Mexicans have known about it throughout generations . . . for Monarch butterflies have been returning to Mexico on the Day of the Dead for hundreds of years. This was a fabulous trip and an important one for my book proposal . . . for how could I write about this marvel of an insect without the final chapter. Please do not anticipate spectacular photos of large clusters of butterflies. My photos of the trip are merely average but will give you a good idea of the area and native peoples, who live near the sites our beloved Monarchs fly to each fall. I hope you will join me and who knows maybe we can all plan a visit together! 

Captivating Chrysalis Curtain Rising Monarch Metamorphosis Act III

I would like to offer Act III of the Monarch Metamorphosis as my contribution to Wildflower Wednesday over at Gail's Clay and Limestone. I begin the text below so that you can scroll through uninterrupted to see Cass unveiling his beautiful chrysalis. Drum roll please!

In my last post Cass was hanging with his skin splitting just behind his head. Now we see by scrolling down through the images, his amazing metamorphosis into his beginning pupa or chrysalis stage.  Just beneath his striped skin, throughout his caterpillar life, he has been cultivating his inner gem. Very soon if not already little Cass is no more as we knew him . . .  I should like to understand what consciousness is steering a most amazing feat in this early chrysalis stage. 

As Polly pulls up the final curtain let's consider the intelligence and highly proficient means by which the part caterpillar, part butterfly carries out this gymnastic achievement. It is truly nothing less than extraordinary. This can be a dangerous time for the little beings, and how this act unfolds will determine their future. Out in gardens, along highways and corridors caterpillars hang defenseless, waiting for just the right moment to pull off their old dresses. The weather, a passing fox, a curious warbler or even a gardener weeding may hinder their success. Remarkably many, who make it to this last molt, will survive to become butterflies. 

Remember how Cass and Polly were hanging upside down . . . here we can see, as the caterpillar skin rises, it reveals the new templates for the wings, head, proboscis and antennae. I find it fascinating that moments before I thought I was looking at a caterpillar, while really the caterpillar skin is like a masque for the amazing change happening during the last stages of the caterpillars life . . . a forming pupa or chrysalis. No wonder Cass and Polly stopped eating . . . they no longer had a mouth or mandible . . . just how quickly could this transformation have happened? Maybe twelve hours or so, for I have noticed they do hang overnight often.  To exchange a mandible for the castings of butterfly parts must have been in the making for some time, though we could not have known by looking at Cass and Polly.  I wonder if scientist have ever used xray on caterpillars while studying them.  It might cause harm and perhaps the magic and mystery is better left to our imaginations . . . like that of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. 

Here Polly is working hard to connect to the carefully crafted silk button. He had to pull his little stem scientist called a 'crewmaster' out from under the pile of skin . . . without eyes mind you . . . barely being connected at this time . . . and reach over to attach to the silk button. This indispensable stem was created while C and P were caterpillars. Electron microscopic pictures by Dr. Lincoln Brower (foremost Monarch expert) show hundreds of tiny crochet needle-like hooks at its tip. Polly must twist and turn to get the tiny hooks though hundreds of the silk threads so that he will not fall. This is a dangerous moment and I often hold out one hand, while the other is taking the photos. Once it paid off for one fell right into my hand. I placed it in the soft corolla of an autumn crocus, quickly found some thread and tied the chrysalis onto a stem. What intelligence is at work here? There are still some caterpillar traits left in its appearance . . . perhaps there is some cater intelligence and memories stored in the cells and disks . . . is it the cater or the becoming butterfly at work . . . knowing to carefully inch and feel his way over the skin then to twist and turn his new form so that the crewmaster will become firmly attached. I find this so miraculous!  You can see this happening if you look carefully in photos three, four and five of Cass muscling his skin off. It is a bit more effort to get the pile of skin to fall off too.

At last Cass and Polly are dressed only in their new finery. They are wearing white pearl necklaces beneath a yellow fine line that spreads out from under their right wing templates from one side, and goes around their back and under the wings on their left side. Soon a broken black line will appear as if by magic under the white beads. You can see that Polly is still catching up to Cass, for his chrysalis is more complete in form. 

Now both being equal more or less . . .  Cass and Polly are hidden beneath their green wings hanging by their newly created cremaster. Cass and Polly hang as chrysalises, a beautiful milkweed and sedum green, with three dimensional, yellow dots here and there.  Their white, yellow and black necklaces are the colors of the former caterpillar and perhaps a token in remembrance of that capable courageous little critter. Later this necklace will appear gold. I think  Cass and Polly deserve a gold medal for all their efforts in creating this beautiful jewel which houses a butterfly in the making. There is no scientific explanation for why the necklace exists . . . so I will stand by my take on why and will add that of course the Milkweed plant is remembered too by the milky white beads. One can imagine any reason as to why.  To dazzle ... to blind when lit by the sun so as to protect. The yellow drops near the bottom are very close to where the eyes are located. 

The wing templates expand up towards the top of the chrysalis, enveloping what remains of the caterpillar-like form filled with what appears like mustard seeds. I imagine these are cells and 'imaginal disks' that will become the new organs of the butterfly. In a couple of weeks the Monarch butterfly will push open and fall out of the area between the two wings. The antennae perfectly outlines the doorway. 

I wonder what this fellow thinks of Arias new form? Perhaps he has an instinct that tells him this form is already in the making beneath his striped skin. Here Aria has been a chrysalis for a few hours. The outer translucent protective casing is hardening while the inside seems to be like a jade green fluid. 

Here the first of the Three Muses is beginning to push up her old skin. The dark line in the middle going up the side of the skin is a trachea . . .  a tube which brought in oxygen and distributed it throughout the caterpillar body. You can see the middle Muse is about to begin too . . . note her lifeless, spiraling tentacles and the coloring changes near her head.

Now the last Muse is about to go.

Here is her new form wearing a white beaded necklace with a yellow brush stroke across the top.

You can clearly see the broken black line magically appearing here in the first Muse chrysalis. 

Now all six caters have gone through a complete metamorphosis. The chrysalises will  remain this way for about fourteen days. From the outside all seems still, while inside a butterfly is being assembled. 

What a stunning metamorphosis!

You have come a long way in such a short time!

Before we end let's say farewell once again to the heros and heroines of the hour. They grew and changed many times over their two week life span . . . the first tiny instar could fit within the stripes of the last. Here another fledgling community begins, so I will have more caters to care for and observe. A note and illustration to show that caters do not always choose the safest places to hang their chrysalises. I believe they would never choose Milkweed leaves in the wild. No worry that they will be eaten, but every bite of Milkweed will be eaten around where the pupa hangs. All that will be left will be the large vein of the leaf and the milkweed green chrysalis. Somehow the caters know not to eat the entire leaf this time, though they will eat the teeny eggs if mistakenly place within their reach. We sometimes learn things the hard way.  For this narrative the part the caterpillar plays is now recast and we shall see them no more. Dear caterpillars I bid you a fond adieu . . . bon voyage in your ongoing metamorphosis!

Perhaps one or two disks within have your memory bank backed-up and safely stored.

Next time we will witness Monarch butterflies emerging from their transparent chrysalis casings. Surely there is no piece of jewelry more spectacular than nature's mini masterpieces. 

A sneak peek at next week. 

May you experience many of natures wild, magical gifts and be inspired . . . filled with awe and joy . . . for being this close to nature can be transforming to the spirit.