Monarch Butterflies

[R. Richard]

There are suddenly a lot of monarch butterflies in the area in which I live. Long time locals tell me it is unusual. They are coloful and it is amusing to watch them fly about. However, I have found out some truths about butterflies.

"Butterflies are free!" Yes, but there is a rather substantial handling fee which they do not tell you about until the hook is in. Rather shabby actually.

 

[Goldie Munro]

I love butterflies! I haven't seen any where I live yet - too early probably. I like moths too! That doesn't always go down well!

 

[Guest]

There are suddenly a lot of monarch butterflies in the area in which I live. Long time locals tell me it is unusual. They are coloful and it is amusing to watch them fly about. However, I have found out some truths about butterflies.

"Butterflies are free!" Yes, but there is a rather substantial handling fee which they do not tell you about until the hook is in. Rather shabby actually.

______

Aren't they the ones that have that remarkably long migration pattern all the way to Mexico?

 

[R. Richard]

______

Aren't they the ones that have that remarkably long migration pattern all the way to Mexico?

Some monarch butterflies make a several thousand mile migration back and forth from the USA to Mexico. Strangely, individual monarch butterflies do not make the long migration, they do not survive that long. The great-grandchildren of those who started the migration return. Yet, the monarch butterflies migrate back and forth between the same locations year after year. It is a mystery.

Other monarch butterflies do not migrate and live and die in the same place.

 

[R. Richard]

I love butterflies! I haven't seen any where I live yet - too early probably. I like moths too! That doesn't always go down well!

Strangely, the area in which I live is not a normal home for the monarch butterflies. Why they appeared this year is unknown.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

There's also a butterfly called the Viceroy we used to see around here. He mimics the Monarch because the Monarchs taste awful to predators (because of all the time the caterpillars spend eating milkweed sap)

Used to see a lot of butterflies when I was a kid. Now they're just starting to come back as people plant wildflowers and butterfly garden. They're nice.

 

[AppleBiter]

http://www.butterflyutopia.com/BIG/019.jpg

 

[R. Richard]

There's also a butterfly called the Viceroy we used to see around here. He mimics the Monarch because the Monarchs taste awful to predators (because of all the time the caterpillars spend eating milkweed sap)

Not too many people know, but the monarch is poisonous because of the milkweed sap. The monarch is not violently poisonous, but it is not edible to a lot of normal predators. Thus, the predators leave it alone. The Viceroy is a smart butterfly!

 

[Halo_n_horns]

There are suddenly a lot of monarch butterflies in the area in which I live. Long time locals tell me it is unusual. They are coloful and it is amusing to watch them fly about. However, I have found out some truths about butterflies.

"Butterflies are free!" Yes, but there is a rather substantial handling fee which they do not tell you about until the hook is in. Rather shabby actually.

Some years, where I'm at, they're extremely heavy in numbers, especially going over the hill to Tahoe. Other years they're nearly nonexistant. We had a lot of water this year, so that might be part of why the populations are up.

 

[R. Richard]

In the area where I live monarch butterflies are apparently protected, at least by local law. There was some nerd with a net trying to snag a few and he was approached by the local Gestapo and apparently given a lecture to the effect that snagging monarch butterflies was a no-no.

 

[Honey123]

Wow..and to think I have a sequined butterfly applique on my g-string today!

Do you think it's KARMA?