Inestimable Numbers of Monarchs Die in Mexico

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It truly saddened me to see these photographs of the masses of dead Monarchs. They resemble gigantic piles of gray, dead leaves in my backyard after the winter snows have melted. However, there are some "bright orange" colors mixed in with the gray as you will see in some of those photographs. Those are obviously some of the lucky Monarchs that somehow managed to live through that devastating storm.

Many questions come to mind as to why so many Monarchs died during that fateful storm. Was Mother Nature entirely to blame? Was deforestation and over-logging in and around the Monarch sanctuaries to blame? Will the species survive and bounce back from this devastating plight? Or, was this simply one of those incidents that occur now and then to keep Nature in balance? We may never know the real answers to all of these questions; perhaps there is a combination of answers. However, you can be assured that scientists, lepidopterists, biologists, wildlife conservationists, and many other butterfly enthusiasts are engaged in ongoing research that will no doubt answer many of these questions over time.

Meanwhile, gardeners throughout the United States and Southern Canada can do their part by planting those flowers and host plants that will continue to attract exquisite Monarch butterflies to their backyard gardens. Yes, there will be a return of Monarchs during the spring and summer of Year 2002! And, when they do return to your backyard seeking nectar for survival and milkweed for their baby caterpillars, why not stop for a moment or two and breathe a prayer of thanksgiving to their Creator?

Remember, until next time -- keep those "flying flowers" flying and those hummers a-humming!

Monarch Butterflies Dying in Mexico

Mexican Butterfly Deaths Raises Questions on Numbers

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