Young Butterfly

Young butterfly–newly emerged from its cocoon, bright orange wings laced with black stripes and white dots. The whole world ahead of you, not even thirteen days before, youwere a caterpillar, eating your way through the milkweed, preparing for your time in the chrysalis. Now, the days are longand warm– with plenty of flowers to feedfrom–but soon the days becomecold and short.WINTER . .

.Sends flowers into dormancyuntil next spring. You must act fast if youwant to survive. You–and the rest of the monarchs–take off on your journey to a warmer country like your ancestors. A thousand mile journey across the United States, hundreds uponthousands of monarch butterflies gather at the transvolcanic mountains of Mexico,where you spend months sleeping until it’s warm enough to make the journey back north.