As we all sit down to feast and say thanks today, reassuring news arrives from our friends in Mexico: the Monarch butterflies have arrived in Michoacan.
As this video by El Universal, a respected Mexico City daily, reports, butterflies began pouring in to the Oyamel forests surrounding Morelia this week. As reported earlier, the sanctuaries opened to the public on November 18.
Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Michoacan, Mexico--photo by El Universal
Monarch butterfly scientists predict one of the smallest Monarch butterfly roosting populations in history this year because of the harsh conditions that prevailed in 2011: a brutal freeze followed by a late Spring, historic drought and raging wildfires.
“Keep your fingers crossed that there are no winter storms in Mexico that could make matters worse,” wrote Dr. Chip Taylor in his annual state-of-the-Monarch-butterfly report on the Monarch Watch blog in September.
We’ll keep you posted on the status of the overwintering population as reports unfold, but in the meantime we can all say “gracias” to the fact that despite the challenges, the Monarch butterfly migration continues. For now.
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Love you MM! Great post.
Back at you, Clint. Thanks for reading and writing.
Great news, they made it. Wished I had a postcard of that picture.
Found 2 butterfly eggs on my milkweed plant today, will find out if the will make it to maturity. They are safe in 2 glass jars in the house.
Hooray! It’s pretty late for eggs, but with this wacky weather year, the Monarchs continue to surprise us. Thanks for writing, and keep us posted of the progress.
MM