Flight of the butterfly

I followed our guides through dense forest, over loose rock and up steep cliffs. The guides made it look easy, keeping a steady pace the whole way. Sweating and short of breath, I quickly destroyed any illusion that I’m even remotely in shape.

(c) Paul Bettings/WWF-Canada
When we finally reached the summit at 3,700 metres, we zigzagged back down through the trees until we found it: a Monarch colony.
I looked up at the majestic trees in awe; their branches bent from the weight of the hibernating butterflies. The air was crisp and clouds covered the sun. Thousands and thousands just hung there together, almost completely still, except for the occasional flutter. Their tranquility was mesmerizing.

These are the first arrivals to the mountains on Michoacán in central Mexico. They are only a quarter of the total number that will winter here. One of my guides is Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, the head of WWF’s monarch program and one of the foremost experts on these incredible insects.  He says they start arriving punctually at the very end of October and beginning of November, and they will stay here until mid-February.
According to some local legends, the Monarchs (or Monarica in Spanish) are the souls of the dead, returning to visit their families. This is because they arrive with Day of the Dead celebrations on November 1 and 2.

These delicate looking creatures remain a mystery. Flying anywhere from the east of the Rockies to the West of the Great Lakes, they travel up to 4,000 kilometres to pretty much this exact spot, at this exact time, year after year. No one knows why or how they find these mountains every year. Their phenomenal migration continues to leave scientists in wonder.
Eduardo has been working with Monarchs since 1993. His passion for these butterflies is contagious. The way they connect people to nature is what Eduardo finds the most fascinating. And, for me, standing in this forest, soaking in their collective tranquility, strength and beauty, I understand exactly what he means.
 
Find out more about what you can do to help Monarch butterfly conservation efforts by clicking here.