Butterflies

After much thought and discussion, Gerry and I are leaning toward Turtling south down the coast of Mexico when we return from our trip home for Christmas. We can then go on a whale watch during the time of year they are migrating along the coast.

When it is time to Turtle on home we will then cut inland on our journey, so we can witness this magnificence of the Monarch butterflies.


I started to notice an increase in butterflies when we were in Galveston, Texas. As we kept driving into Mexico the numbers continued to increase. Driving south through Mexico, one would flying past (or into) our windshield every few minutes.

Every where we go, there are butterflies fluttering around. I keep trying to take pictures, but a) I am a terrible photographer b) they flit on past too fast and c) I have a crappy camera.


I've seen documentaries about the Monarch Butterflies southward migration and northward return in summer from Canada to Mexico which spans the life of three to four generations of the butterfly. That coupled with seeing so many butterflies on this trip has me determined to see them at their Mexican destination.

Every year hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies undertake a great journey of up to 2000 miles in their annual migration from Canada and the United States to their wintering grounds in Mexico. Once in Mexico the monarchs congregate in the oyamel fir trees of Michoacan, Mexico state.






The butterflies are so plentiful, they actually bend the branches of the trees. I really must see this for myself.