“Most promiscous bird exposed!” “Bear Gives Birth Live on Internet!” “Experts Stunned by Swan Divorce!”
Clearly, sensationalism lives in the world of wildlife or at least in the media headings used to grab our attention. So how about a bit of Wildlife Reality without the messy swan divorces and great ape dating sites?
Sunday night on PBS/Nova, they replayed the 2009 episode of the Incredible Journey of Butterflies which followed the 2,000 mile migration of Monarch Butterflies to the highlands of Mexico. 2,000 miles in two months for a species which weighs less than 1/4 of an ounce, has the lifespan of less than a year and does not use a Garmin, TomTom or even carry a AAA membership in his, or her, wallet in case of emergency.
The problem with most butterflies is they zip around erratically in your backyard and you rarely have the opportunity to look at how miraculous this little creature is. An odd worm-looking creature which goes from caterpillar to chrysalis and turns into another worm-looking creature with four wings, antennae and a proboscis for drinking nectar.
From there it is four full generations to complete its migration cycle and start the whole thing over again: Leave Mexico and head towards Texas in late winter, mate, die. New generation emerges and spreads out across the Midwest, mate, die. 3rd generation heads out towards and into Canada, lives one month, mates, dies. It’s now August and Generation 4 – clearly made up of marathon fliers – is ready to go and heads back down 2,000 miles to Mexico.
Want to help them out along the way – set your backyard up with a few butterfly friendly plants - your own bonafide Butterfly Truck Stop.
And here is my favorite unknown fact from the episode: In the Mexican state of Michoacán, the butterflies’ arrival marks the start of a celebration called the Day of the Dead, since the local people have traditionally associated the monarchs with the returning souls of their departed ancestors.
If you have a chance to catch a re-airing of this Nova special, set your DVR but be sure not to erase “Penguins Dodge Blubbery Beach-Masters” repeats on Jerry Springer.
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