Monarch Butterfly Migration: Fall 2007

Monarch Butterflies

Migration Update: November 2, 2007

Please Report
Your Sightings! >>

Today's Report Includes:

The Migration: Maps, Questions, Highlights
- ¡Las Primeras Marposas Monarcas Han Llegado
Links: Monarchs, Dia de los Muertos, and Mexican Tradition >>

Challenge Question #10: Which Sites Will the Monarchs Choose ? >>

Migration Rate Math: Who Will See the Strongest Migration? >>

Links: This Week's Monarch Resources

How much farther must these monarchs fly? >>

The Migration: Maps, Questions and Highlights


Peak (Map\|List)	Roosts (Map\|List)	All (Map\|List)

Distribution Map >>

About these maps >>

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Make your own map >>

Map Questions >>

Highlights: ¡Las Primeras Mariposas Monarcas Han Llegado!

The first monarch butterflies have reached the end of their long migration! Estela Romero announced the news from her hometown of Angangueo, Michoacan, Mexico:

"Yesterday evening (October 30th) I received a phone call from Mr. Germán Medina telling me that the first Monarchs have been seen overflying the Angangueo. They were on their way to 'El Rosario,' which is one of our main Sanctuaries. This morning--and just in this moment (3:08 pm)--the first Monarchs appeared overflying Angangueo's downtown. There are not many, but I can see the first few. It is very surprising that, in only a couple of days, thousands of them are appearing all of a sudden!!!"

Estela Romero announces arrival from Angangueo, Michoacan, Mexico. >>

News from Northern Mexico
Monarchs are flowing across northern Mexico now. Rocio Treviño is receiving reports from the Mexico/U.S. border all the way to the overwintering region deep in central Mexico:

Rocio Treviño reports from Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico >>

News From Texas
People who witnessed the spectacular migration along the Texas Gulf Coast last week continued to send in their sightings for the following 10 days. The event is being described by Mike Quinn of Texas Parks and Wildlife as "perhaps the most massive coastal migration in a decade." A cloud of monarchs extended at least 200 miles along the coast, from Houston to Corpus Christi.

Here is a series of weather maps that show the conditions at the time.

The finish line!

Monarch Sanctuary Region >>

Highlights of the Week

Migration Rate Math

This Week's Sightings

Who will see the record flight for fall 2007?

Links: Monarchs, Dia de los Muertos, and Mexican Tradition >>

The first monarchs arrive in Michoacan at the same time every fall, by November 1st. People in the region have noticed this since Prehispanic times. In the language of the native Purépecha Indians, the name for the monarch butterfly is the harvester butterfly, a name given because monarchs appear when it's time to harvest the corn. The Mexican holiday Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) also occurs precisely when the monarchs appear. Traditionally, people believe that the monarchs are the souls of their ancestors, who are returning to Earth for their annual visit.

"On the First of November we remember the souls of our dead children and, on November 2nd, the souls of our adults," explains Estela Romero. "It is also then that the Monarchs traditionally begin to arrive."

Here is a collection of links about the Day of the Dead in Angangueo, and about corn, tortillas, and the growing season in the monarch overwintering area.

About Day of the Dead by Estela Romero (English)
Sobre Dia de los Muertos por Estela Romero (Espanol)
Ofrendas (Shrines) for Dia de Los Muertos (slideshow)
Making Pan de de los Muertos with the Moreño Family (slideshow and video)
And More....>>

Ofrendas (Shrines) for Dia de Los Muertos >>

Challenge Question #10: Which Sites Do the Monarchs Choose?

Monarchs travel from across eastern North America to a very small region in Mexico as shown on this satellite image. Within the region, only 12 sites have the habitat the butterflies need to survive.

This week's question:

Where do you suppose the 12 overwintering sites are? Explain your thinking. What might be special about the places the monarchs choose?

To respond: Write in your journal and send us your answer for possible inclusion in next week's update.

Answer to last week's question

Challenge Question #9 >>

Links: This Week's Monarch Resources

Teacher Guide: Monarchs, Dia de los Muertos, and Mexican Tradition >>
Culture: Estela Romero describes Dia de los Muertos (English/Spanish)
Culture: Ofrendas (Alters) for Dia de los Muertos in Angangueo (English and Spanish)
Culture: Making Pan de de los Muertos with the Moreño Family (slideshow and video)
Culture: Visiting a Cemetery on Dia de los Muertos (slideshow)
Inquiry & Geography: The Migration Through Mexico--A Navigation Mystery >>
Monarchs for Kids (booklets, photos, videos) >>
Book and Slideshow: The Magic of Monarch Migration >>
Go Outside! Watch how monarch butterfly habitat is changing! >>
Orientation: Welcome to new participants! >>

More Monarch Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The FINAL Monarch Migration Update Will Be Posted on November 9, 2007.