March 8, 2011
Dear Friends:
We are having extraordinarily sunny days, with mild winds, and temperatures are increasing day by day. I took a long walk in town yesterday at noon and was surprised to see only half a dozen of monarchs flying here and there.
Since it's already March 8th—and so few Monarchs are passing by Angangueo—I decided to go to El Rosario Sanctuary this morning. I was astonished to see how full the sanctuary still is! I have never seen so many trees with branches bending under the weight of thousands of butterflies.
As temperatures rise at winter's end, the monarchs begin to mate. At any time today, I could observe mating pairs struggling in the ground here and there within a small area. This tells me the monarchs must be leaving very soon!
Indeed I saw what might have been butterflies heading northwards. As the day warmed, many filtered into the forest and started joining downwards to the little streams, meadows and pathways. Once I left the Sanctuary, I saw considerable numbers drinking water in small puddles, gliding over and stopping on bushes. As I continued to walk, a few were channeling themselves along the main road for the next 2-3 kilometers.
It's truly very hard to discern when the actual departure takes place. However, I met some children along the way who said they think the monarchs will be leaving any moment now, "because they have started moving from up Llano de los Conejos down to Llano Las Balsitas." (This llano is precisely north, in the direction of Angangueo.)
Spring is almost knocking at the door. With this, the responsibility of the Monarch Butterflies is about to cross our border and into the United States and Canada. Get ready!
Meanwhile, I'll keep my eyes on the sky overhead during the next week and tell you what changes I see as the monarchs prepare to leave their winter home.
Estela Romero
Angangueo, Michoacán
| Water! People and monarchs use water from the mountains. How many examples do you see in this picture? |
It's already March 8th, and few Monarchs are passing by Angangueo.
I was astonished to see how full the sanctuary still is!
As temperatures rise at winter's end, the monarchs begin to mate.
At any time today, I could observe mating pairs...
This tells me the monarchs must be leaving very soon!
I met some children along the way who said they think the monarchs will be leaving any moment now.
