Every year as the temperature begins to drop in the United States and Canada, millions of Monarchs will migrate away from their frigid breeding grounds to seek warmth in the mountains of Mexico. For over twenty years, the Florida Museum of Natural History has led expeditions to the sanctuaries of Sierra Chincua and El Rosario Reserves in order to witness this breathtaking spectacle.

This year, Dr. Akito Kawahara and Dr. Vaughn Shirey of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity had the privilege of leading these trips for the first time. Dr. Shirey described the scene as, “… being in a river of butterflies…Of course, you learn about the magnitude of the migration a lot as a biologist, but I don’t think you can fully comprehend the scale of just how many butterflies there are in one place at a given time.”  While Dr. Kawahara had witnessed this magnificent migration before, that did not seem to dull his excitement. He added that it was not only the vibrant display that left them in awe, but the sounds of millions of wings fluttering around them. “It’s truly amazing there is nothing like it… everyone’s phones were dying because of how many videos we were taking.”

Monarch butterflies in North America have faced serious decline in the past twenty years, but this trip seemed to provide our lepidopterists with some newfound optimism. “We probably saw ten million butterflies… in the past they had been more sedentary…they would wait for the sun to come up, but this time they were already flying around when we got there,” said Dr. Kawahara. This was not the only unexpected behavior they witnessed on this trip. Monarch butterflies travel to Mexico to overwinter in the oyamel fir forests in the mountains as the dense canopy provides them with protection from the elements and the humidity prevents the butterflies from dehydrating. Swarms of Monarchs will huddle together to conserve heat as they wait for temperatures to rise so they can return home in March. This year however, the butterflies had already begun making their way down the mountain by mid- February. This behavioral shift has researchers questioning how this advanced migration timetable could affect future populations.

Now, for two expert lepidopterists, you would think nothing could be as exciting as being surrounded by millions of butterflies. However, when asked what their favorite part of the trip was, both scientists mentioned the people they shared this experience with. “I thought it was so exciting how the trip brought together so many people from different places and how this, in many ways, was a metaphor for the journey that the Monarchs take each winter,” said Dr. Shirey. Dr. Kawahara was happy to be reminded how much people truly care for these critters. Part of the trip involves a handful of presentations, so that the participants can learn more about the world of lepidoptera. Hands shot up after his presentation as his brief insight into the world of butterflies was not satisfying enough – they wanted to know more! It was a refreshing reminder to him that these insects are not only valued by lepidopterists. People want to learn more about these insects and, most importantly, they want to know how to protect them.

This trip was not only a learning experience for participants, but for the guides as well. When I spoke with Dr. Kawahara, he began to tell me about the avocado market that began impacting these reserves. The state of Michoacan where these overwintering sites reside is also home to ideal conditions for the growth of avocados. The massive demand in the US for this superfood has skyrocketed over the past couple decades and now results in the annual exportation of over 2.4 billion pounds of avocados from Mexico. Almost 90% of these avocados are grown just downhill of these essential overwintering microclimates. These massive deforestation efforts continue to creep higher up the mountain without legal authorization as the avocado business became a popular way for drug cartels to launder money. It is the indigenous population of the area that are fighting to protect the land and protect the Monarchs, as these butterflies have long been a revered spiritual symbol. The Monarchs are believed to carry the souls of the dead, and their migration is seen as ancestors visiting from the afterlife during Dia de los Muertos celebrations. They are a beloved symbol that rests on ofrendas and even finds its way into song and dance. “One emergent theme on our trip was the role that culture and society play in conservation praxis,” said Dr. Shirey. Conservation is not only about protecting the biodiversity of this world, it is about protecting the cultures of this world. Dr. Kawahara and Dr. Shirey were both extremely grateful to lead these trips and it is their hope that excursions like this inspire people to explore this important intersection of conservation and culture. The Monarch Migration serves as a testament to what beauty can arise from taking care of our world and understanding the people in it.

Written by:  Miranda Guse, miranda.guse@ufl.edu

Sources: Akito Kawahara, Vaughn Shirey