The Majestic Monarch
I was saddened when I read ….
”The beloved migratory monarch butterfly …..has just been declared endangered by the world’s leading authority on biological diversity. An assessment found these types of monarchs have declined by between 23 percent and 72 percent in the past decade, Nat Geo’s Natasha Daly reports.”
If habitats can be preserved and pesticide use cut, there’s a sliver of hope for the fast-reproducing monarch. “If we reduce some threats,” lead assessment author Anna Walker says, "the butterfly can do the rest of the work.”
Funny. I was just thinking the other day that I hadn’t seen one monarch this year like I usually do.
It brought to mind a movie I once saw on Imax called “Flight of the Butterflies” . Such incredible creatures and such incredibly beautiful creatures.
We can spot adult monarch butterflies immediately by their two pairs of brilliant orange, black-veined wings with white spots towards the edges. Males have a distinguishing black dot near the centre of their hind wing. Each fall, monarchs set out on an incredible 4,000-to-5,000-kilometre journey from southern Canada to their wintering sites in the mountain forests of Mexico. This is one of the world’s longest insect migrations! WWF
Monarch Butterfly Meaning and Symbolism :
In a nod to their life cycle, from egg to caterpillar to butterfly, monarchs can represent transformation and rebirth to some people. They might view a monarch sighting as a sign of upcoming change or a new direction in their life. Some folks feel a loved one has visited them or an angel has been near them in that form.
Participants dress as monarch butterflies during the Day of the Dead International Parade in Mexico City, Mexico.
Monarch butterflies have significant meaning in the Mexican culture.
During the Day of the Dead holiday, the Mexican people see the arrival of monarchs as a spiritual symbol. Many believe the butterflies represent the souls of their ancestors returning to visit and bring comfort to loved ones. Revellers may even dress up as monarch butterflies in parades and other celebrations. Due to the butterflies’ yearly migration between countries, images of monarchs are also are used to show support for immigrants.
Birds&Blooms
I don’t want to imagine a world without the monarch butterfly.