Journey North: Symbolic Monarch Butterfly Migration

About the Symbolic Migration
Over 60,000 paper butterflies were made last fall by children in the United States and Canada, and sent to the children who live beside the monarch sanctuaries in Mexico. These Symbolic Monarch ambassadors will come back next spring and "migrate" back to classrooms when the actual monarchs begin their journey north.

The butterflies' fall flight is timed to correspond with the real monarchs' journey south. The paper butterflies arrive in Mexico around the time of the Dia de los Muertos (November 2), just as the real monarchs do. According to Mexican legend, these returning butterflies are thought to carry the ancestors' souls and play a role in the Dia de los Muertos celebrations.

Mexican students from the sanctuary region greet the butterflies and watch over them during the winter months. At the same time in the mountains nearby, the entire eastern population of North American monarch butterflies are resting in Mexico for the winter. Sometime next March, when the real monarchs' departure from Mexico is announced, the paper butterflies will return. The butterflies will carry a special message from the Mexican students to the students in Canada and U. S. who made them.