Montshire Minute: Butterflies

Originally aired during the week of September 2, 2002

Monday

Here's a rule of thumb - the life span of butterflies that inhabit our region are three or four weeks long, and these butterflies tend to live out their lives in the same general area they were hatched. Well, there are always exceptions to a rule, and boy is the Monarch butterfly ever an exception. Every fall, in what is one of the greatest long-distance feats in the natural world, millions of Monarch butterflies embark on a trek that will take them hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of miles to wintering grounds in central Mexico. Actually, most North American monarchs don't live much longer than 11 weeks. But some butterflies that hatch later in the summer can't reproduce unless they find a warmer climate. These are usually the Monarchs we see moving south this time of year.

Tuesday

North American monarchs are actually members of a group of tropical butterflies called Danaids. Like other tropical butterflies, Monarchs cannot withstand the freezing temperatures we get in this part of the world. But somehow, this creature has developed the capacity to avoid the cold winters by migrating south. Unlike many migrants, Monarchs make the trip without benefit of experience - they only live long enough to make the trip once. Join naturalist Brian Pfeiffer at the Museum Monday, September 9th for a special Monarch banding workshop. As part of a national research project, we'll be catching monarchs, placing tiny stickers on their wings, and let them fly free again, perhaps to be recaptured in Mexico for the sake of science and conservation! Give us a call at the Montshire Museum to register - the number is 802-649-2200.

Wednesday

This week on the program we're taking a close look at an amazing migrant, the Monarch butterfly. Researchers have known for some time that some monarchs migrated south in the fall. But where exactly were they headed? Canadian zoologist Fred Urquhart spent 40 years trying to unravel the mystery. With the aid of another researcher, he finally found the Monarch wintering grounds in 1976, deep in the forests of remote central Mexico. There, Urquhart found fir trees completely covered with millions of Monarchs. As the zoologist related in National Geographic, he saw a three-foot pine branch so full of Monarchs that it broke and crashed to earth. By chance, one of the fallen butterflies bore a tag applied to its wing by another butterfly researcher months before in far-off Minnesota.

Thursday

The Monarch butterfly may be pretty to look at, but for many creatures, it's just plain poison. That's because the Monarch is dependent on the milkweed plant, which contains toxins that warn away would-be Monarch munchers. Monarch caterpillars seem unaffected by these poisons - they feed on the milkweed plants as soon as they hatch, and the toxins are still present in the bodies of the butterflies they later become. Other animals seem to know that Monarchs are not one of their major food groups. This time of year, Monarchs are beginning their migration from New England to the mountains of Mexico. Join naturalist Brian Pfeiffer at the Museum Monday, September 9th for a special Monarch banding workshop. We'll be catching monarchs, placing tiny stickers on their wings, and let them fly free again, perhaps to be recaptured in Mexico! Give us a call at the Museum to register!

Friday

The life cycle of the Monarch begins when the female butterfly lays her eggs under milkweed leaves. In a few days the eggs hatch, and the young caterpillar, after gobbling up the remains of the egg, starts to work on the milkweed plant itself. A few weeks later, the familiar black-yellow-and-white banded caterpillar attaches itself to the underside of a leaf. Secreting a fast-hardening material, it creates a tough shell around itself called the chrysalis. Ten days to two weeks later, the transformation to butterfly is complete. A true seasonal migrator, the Monarch has a very large thorax with powerful muscles to help it fly long distances. Join naturalist Brian Pfeiffer at the Montshire Museum Monday, September 9th for a special Monarch banding workshop. We'll be catching monarchs, placing tiny stickers on their wings, and let them fly free again as part of a national research project.