Monarch Butterflies as Symbols of Immigration

In Where Did We Sit on the Bus?, when Bee Quijada is 18 years old, Bee visits Ellis Island in New York City. Bee’s perspective on immigration in America is changed indelibly and months later proclaims:

“Let them dream big when the time calls. Because after all, aren’t immigrants the foundation of our country? So let them in.

Let them in.”

Immigrants, much like Monarch Butterflies, are resilient and persevere as they travel long distances in search of a safer home.

About the Monarch

• The Monarch is well known for its ability to travel great distances, and the migrations in North America are one of the greatest natural phenomena in the world.

• Every autumn, millions of Monarch butterflies migrate 3,000 miles from their breeding grounds in northeastern North America to spend the winter in the forests of southwestern Mexico.

• Monarch butterflies must migrate because they cannot survive long, cold northern winters. When they arrive in Mexico, they huddle together on Oyamel Fir trees, [also called sacred fir, native to the mountains of central and southern Mexico and western Guatemala. These trees protect the Monarchs and serve as both a blanket and umbrella during the winter]. Each tree may be blanketed in tens of thousands of ‘roosting’ butterflies. They hang almost motionless in semi-dormancy, surviving the winter on their stored energy.

National Museums Scotland

Above: Monarch butterflies ( Danaus plexippus) Próxima estación: Esperanza.

Credit: Sonia

Carolina Madrigal Loyola. CC BY-SA

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Below: Swarm of monarchs preparing for their migration.

Credit: Raina Kumra, flickr. CC BY 2.0.

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At left: Monarchs in refuge, Morelia, MX.

Credit: gailfisher, flickr. CC BY 2.0.

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