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Send a Monarch to Mexico
Preparing for the Journey South
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As you prepare to send your monarch to Mexico, the following activities and resources
may help make the project more meaningful.
Journey South Monarch Migration Updates
Help track the monarchs' journey to Mexico. Contribute sightings from your region, then watch for regular
updates on Journey North's Monarch Butterfly Fall Migration.
Support Monarch Butterfly Conservation in Mexico
The monarchs' winter sanctuaries in Mexico are critical to the survival of their incredible migration. The
sanctuaries are now seriously threatened by logging activities. In August, 1997 a new non-profit organization was
formed by scientists and educators concerned about the rapid loss of wintering habitat in Mexico. Journey North
urges you to consider ways you can support monarch habitat in Mexico by contributing to the Monarch
Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation. Imagine our paper butterflies carrying support for the real monarchs with them
when they go!
Create Monarch Habitat Where You Live
Plant a butterfly garden and help Unpave the Way for monarchs. Even
a small planting of milkweed for monarch caterpillars and flowers with the adults' favorite nectar will attract
monarchs. For help with your garden, be sure to check the butterfly gardening resources in the Unpave the Way section
of this site. When your garden is complete, report back to Journey North so we'll know where along the migration
trail your butterfly garden is located. Don't forget: Monarchs are insects so don't use insecticides in your garden!
Raise and Tag Real Monarchs
Through the Monarch Watch program, you can raise monarchs in the classroom and tag them before they travel
south. Contact Monarch Watch for more information. Send e-mail to:
monarch@falcon.cc.ukans.edu or visit the WWW site at: http://monarch.bio.ukans.edu/
When Do Monarchs Leave Your Area?
Keep a record of monarch sightings by students in your classroom this fall. When was the last monarch seen?
Each week, take a walk outside and look for flowers. Keep track of the date you see the last goldenrod or other
wild aster in bloom. When does the first frost occur? What happens to the flowers? How does the date of first frost
compare to the date the last monarch butterfly was seen?
How Far Will Your Monarch Travel?
Measure the distance between your home town and Mexico City. How many miles will your butterfly travel? What
places will your butterfly cross on its way to Mexico? What does the monarch need along the route? Write a short
story about your butterfly's journey south, from a monarch's perspective.
Exactly Where Do the Monarchs Go?
This map shows the 9 major monarch sanctuaries in Mexico,
where all migratory monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains spend the winter! (Click on the face of the map for a
larger image.) Look carefully at the map and see what you can learn about the monarchs' winter habitat. Find other
maps of Mexico and see if you can form a theory: Why do you suppose monarchs go to these sites? What seems to be
unique about them?
Resources
Spanish-English Dictionary
Habla espanol? If not, you'll soon be needing a Spanish-English dictionary. Because when your monarchs are
south of the border Spanish will be spoken here. Better yet, find a friend who speaks Spanish and can serve as
your translator this year!
Monarchs in the Classroom
This excellent monarch curriculum was written by Dr. Karen Oberhauser and a team of classroom teachers. Three
separate editions are available: K-2, 3-6, and 6-8. All are full of ideas for integrating the study of monarchs
across your curriculum. The cost per 200-page book is $16.50 (includes shipping). Checks to: Univ of MN Monarch
Fund.
Dr. Karen Oberhauser, Univ of MN, Dept of Ecology, 1987 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul MN 55108
National Geographic, August, 1976
Read about the discovery of the monarch wintering sanctuaries in Mexico, which was announced by Dr. Fred Urqhuart
21 years ago in the August, 1976 issue of National Geographic. Dr. and Mrs. Urqhuart tagged the first monarchs
60 years ago--and tagged the first paper monarchs for the symbolic migration.
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Copyright 1998 Journey North. All Rights Reserved.