Interesting Facts About Monarch Migration
Monarchs are a species of butterflies which are widespread and common. They are noted for the long annual migration they perform. They do the migration in groups and it is an interesting watch to people who haven't watched it before. The migration is usually due 00004000 to the change in the climate and they head to places where the temperature and food are appropriate for them. A speciality of these butterflies is that they migrate both to south and north like the birds. Sometimes the date of the migration is predicted by scientists and researchers and people gather to watch the live migration of these beautiful creatures.
From August till the first frost, the monarch butterflies migrate massively towards the south. The migration to north direction happens during the spring. It is during these migrations that the butterflies lay their eggs. It has been calculated that the monarchs travel for more than 1000 miles during their lifetime. The non-reproductive phase of the migration is known as Diapause. It can be for a period of seven or more months. During this phase, the butterflies fly to any of the overwintering place.
The same set of butterflies may not return to the north usually. It may be the second or third generation of the migrated butterflies that return north. It is a subject of research as to how the next generations or generations with a certain gap manage to fly exactly to the spot without any prior experience. Some earlier researches have concluded that they inherit the flight patterns. And the direction of the flight is dependant on the combination of the sun's position and a circadian clock based on the antennae of the butterflies. There are calculations involved in the process. Studies are still going on over the subject.
During the migration, the monarchs are capable of crossing the Atlantic Ocean. They can be found in the southwest of Britain when the atmospheric conditions are appropriate for them. They can also be found in Australia and New Zealand. However, no migrations have yet been noted on the islands of Hawaii. Their presence is increasing in the Bermuda region and this is attributed due to the increased use of milkweed plant in the garden. The larvae feed well on milkweed. And this milkweed contains cardiac glycosides which will make the butterflies taste bad or poisonous to its predators. During migration, the butterflies face the risk of being eaten up by birds and other animals.
Monarch butterfly migration is a wonderful sight to see. One can see thousands of butterflies trailing one behind the other in the sky. People gather to watch this spectacular sight. In the process of migration, sometimes they all gather on trees covering the whole of the tree by their bodies.
A lot of people are interested in the pattern of flight and migration map of the monarch butterflies. It is an interesting and intriguing process.
