Nature’s Instincts

By Amelia Veleber

A bead of sweat dribbles down the face of a young child as they stumble down the wooden steps leading to their backyard. They have not entirely mastered walking yet, but are determined to make it to the small patch of pink flowers in the garden. As they finally make it to their special spot, they sit down on the dewy green grass. Something new has caught their eye— a green leaf-like attachment hung on the stem of a plant. Unlike the flat surface of a leaf, this attachment is rounded. Little does the young child know, it holds something quite wondrous inside. The green object eases to life and a bright orange, winged creature breaks free of its casing.

“Butterfly!” the child yells in excitement, having only seen them in picture books. The butterfly attempts to glide through the air on its still wrinkled wings, but wobbles a bit, reminiscent of the child stumbling down the steps. Nature’s instincts take over quickly though, and the butterfly is soon able to synchronize its wing motions and move forward without dipping into the air. As the butterfly gains speed, it flies upward, and the child lifts their hand to wave goodbye to their new friend, now embarking on a great journey.

Little does the young child know, their small friend will soon be traveling far away with thousands of other Eastern Monarch butterflies beside it. As the air turns crisp and the leaves begin to fall, nature signals that it is time for them to follow the warmth.

***

The butterflies fly for miles, as the sun beams down with hope and strength, fueling them towards their destination. Eastern Monarchs only migrate to the Transvolcanic Mountains in Mexico for the winter, where the cool, wet climatic conditions are ideal for their ability to thrive. Here, the oyamel fir trees provide shelter for the butterflies during the winter months and protect them from harsh precipitation and wind.

After a hefty 3,000 mile journey, they reach their destination, where they inhabit only eleven to fourteen known sites each year.

The remnants of an old, wise forest persist in carrying on the legacy of a once-bountiful and thriving ecological community. The butterflies flutter around anxiously, struggling to find firs on which to cluster. The forest is surrounded by large, cleared plots of land scattered with machinery. Uniform lines of wide tree stumps reveal the extent to which the forest has been thinned. These trees are a source of lumber, and logging has been increasing in recent decades. According to reports from NPR, “the butterflies’ population occupied only 2.10 hectares in 2020, compared to 2.8 hectares a year earlier. And the Monarch Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico, lost trees at a higher rate than it did in 2019.” While the forests used to have a multitude of tall, protective trees, there are no longer enough for the butterflies to find shelter within.

Monarchs are the only known species of butterfly to make a two-way migration. As spring rolls around, the butterflies that were able to find shelter during the winter months are eager to head back north. They anticipate lush plots of Milkweed that will provide both a source of food and a place on which to lay their eggs.

As the monarchs head northward, they frequently find themselves flying over barren fields of grass, dirt, and developed areas. At some point, a butterfly may spot a small cluster of flowers on which to plant their eggs. This is vastly different from long ago when the Eastern Monarchs could easily encounter expanses of pink, orange, or white patches of milkweed habitat. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, “Monarchs have lost an estimated 165 million acres of breeding habitat in the United States to herbicide spraying and development in recent decades.” ***

It does not take long for the child to convince their mom to buy them their own “butterfly flower,” as the child called it, which consisted of a small milkweed seedling. Although the seedling is small now, it will one day grow tall and strong, like the young child. This seedling is of utmost importance for the Eastern Monarch Butterfly, as Milkweed is the only plant that their larvae feed on, and the only plant that they will lay their eggs on. Its nectar is also utilized as a source of food when they are fully grown. By planting a Milkweed plant, this helps create a habitat and a source of food for the Eastern Monarch Butterfly, a species that is now on the Endangered species list. H