Visiting the Butterflies with Dr. Brower
A Trip to the Sierra Chincua Monarch Sanctuary
(English/Español)
March 6, 2012
Dear Friends:
World-famous monarch expert Dr. Lincoln Brower is visiting the sanctuaries this week. When he told me he was coming I asked whether it was possible to join him. He immediately said "yes!"
I had the honor of accompanying him today on a trip to see the monarchs at the Chincua sanctuary. Butterflies were flying every which way in a flurry. On this sunny day they were clouding the sky! The air was so filled with flapping, flying butterflies it sometimes seemed hard to breathe! We also saw heavy clusters still on the trees at Chincua. Mating monarchs were everywhere. It's the end of the wintering season now. The butterflies seem so restless and ready for their journey north.
The colony of Chincua in this moment, is located downhill at a canyon called "El Tepozan," near Arroyo Hondo site. In size it may be about 1 1/2 hectares, and a little smaller than last year's.
Way up the hill, we could still signs of destruction along the stream from the terrible flooding in February 2010. Look at the big boulders that were carried away with the rushing water!
The focus of Dr. Brower and his biologists' research this year is to assess the monarchs' lipid levels. Since the fall migration season was so dry in Texas, there were few blossoming for them to drink nectar. He is concerned the butterflies might be low on lipids this season for their way back northwards.
Dr. Brower was also concerned to see the dryness of the soil this year. He said insects can get very stressed if moisture in the forest is diminished. Monarchs need moisture for respiration. When the habitat is dry, they experience loss of water in their bodies.
Most concerning of all are signs of illegal logging within the forests. The canopy of some parts of the forest where Monarchs used to form colonies have nowadays become much thinner. Still Monarchs continue to settle forming smaller colonies.
Dr. Brower said that scientists are seriously considering that when Monarchs die, there can be a release of pheromones which stick on trees and attract monarchs next season (even though the forest may no longer be sufficient).
Deforestation is a major concern to all of us. Without a healthy forest to hold the soil in the mountains, the dangerous landslides that occured in 2010 are at risk of being repeated in the future.
I hope I have been able to share at least a fraction of what I have learned from my experience in the forest with Dr. Brower!
Your local reporter,
Estela Romero,
Angangueo, Michoacán, México
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With Dr. Lincoln Brower
