Facts About Monarch Butterfly Migration

Have you ever thought that one so beautiful, subtle and fragile creature like a butterfly, can be at the same time so gamely to fly more than 4,500 kilometers?

Of the approximately 150,000 known species of butterflies around 2,000 species are migratory, and the most famous among them is certainly the monarch (Danaus plexippus), which is the habitat of southeastern Canada.

Migration of butterflies are much more complex than in birds, primarily because of their short life. It’s amazing that during the year shift four generations, who do not live equally. Three generations live in spring and summer, and fourth generation that begins its journey to the southern regions, lives eight months.

Exactly how long it takes to complete their way to middle of Mexico and back. They then cover part of the sky, and according to some data, the width of a swarm is more than 30 kilometers.

When flew half of the American continent, millions of butterflies resort area of middle Mexico where there are volcanic ridges that are covered with a variety of plants. Butterflies are placed on trees, whose branches literally bend under the weight, and the flapping of their wings reminiscent of the sound of rain.

Butterflies do not eat anything for four months. They feed on fat stored in their bodies and drink water. Plants that flourish in the spring period are very important for these butterflies, because they were then at their disposal plant nectar. Then can store the necessary energy for the long journey to North America.

Monarch butterflies mate just before the return to the northern regions, and their flight always start at equinox. When they complete their journey, tired, with torn wings, have the power only to lay eggs on milkweed stems. And then die. Newborn and the next two generations living by one and a half month and then is reborn fourth generation with the first cold weather begins its flight. And the cycle is repeated for thousands of years.

To date, the man was unable to decipher how the fourth generation lives longer than the previous three when the other characteristics did not differ. This begs the question of how life every fourth generation coincides with the winter period.

Do they have a sixth sense, a biological clock, however they know when the vernal equinox to set off on the long trip home? Scientists have observed and questioned their amazing power of navigation and came to the conclusion that their orientation required very accurate information about the Earth’s magnetic field and that them from course can divert only exposure intentionally caused by heavy magnentnim forces.

One thing is certain – there is no coincidence. Monarch butterfly has found a true mathematical model still at the very beginning, because that first fourth generation did not have this characteristic to live longer, a whole generation would die even during the first winter, and species would become extinct. Maybe you would like to read The Butterfly Effect Chaos Theory…