Monarch Monitoring Project 10/28/08

Sadly, the sun is setting on Cape May's monarch migration season. Surveys from this past week reflect this, and we averaged just 12.11 monarchs/hour. It's getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and the monarchs must hurry to Mexico. There will be a few stragglers left in Cape May, but in general our part in monarch migration is over. Later this week I will have more information about the amount of monarchs tagged, and general reflections on the season. For this blog I would like to talk about something else all together...

Monarchs are already dressed up for Halloween. They proudly wear their orange and black, which many associate with the spooky holiday. In Mexico, however, monarchs are associated with a different holiday entirely:

The Day of the Dead

(Dia de los Muertos)

Day of the Dead celebrators looking up for monarchs...


Monarchs begin arriving in the Michoacan region of Mexico around the beginning of November. This corresponds directly with the Mexican "Day of the Dead" on November 1st and 2nd. The main focus of this holiday is the gathering together of friends and relatives to honor and remember family and friends who have died. There are private alters built and gifts brought to the grave sites of the deceased. So, very interesting yes...but what does it have to do with monarchs?




more Day of the Dead participants waiting patiently for monarchs


Well, since the monarchs being arriving at their roosting grounds around the same time, they have become associated with the Day of the Dead. Many "Day of the Dead" participants in the Michoacan region believe that the monarchs are the souls of their ancestors. The souls return once a year to earth in the form of mariposa monarca, aka monarch butterflies. Whether or not you believe this, it's still wonderful to see monarchs revered and respected.

Very cool kids book about monarchs and the Day of the Dead



Even in their roosting grounds, monarchs are (mostly) welcomed visitors. So perhaps if on November 1st you happen to see a monarch, or even just a butterfly, give it a respectful nod. You never know who it might be.