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Monarch butterflies

The Best Way to Watch Butterflies? While Lounging in the Pool!

Jan 17th, 2012
by Kathleen.
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What is the best way to watch butterflies? Outdoors, of course. So you can see them close up. But even better than that is watching butterflies will lounging in or around the swimming pool.

Plant butterfly bushes (buddleia) near your swimming pool and watch butterflies hovering around the blooming flowers on warm, sunny days. Butterflies often need a place to get a drink of water, so you can make shallow puddles for them near your pool, too, to keep them around you longer.

Be sure you also keep your own pool sparkling clean with well-chosen pool filters and pool chemicals, and everyone will have a lovely day outside. It’s easy. You can order them on line and have them delivered to your door, along with the proper instructions for maintaining your pool.

It is fun to have coffee, breakfast by the pool to watch butterflies in the early morning sunshine. Their colors just seem richer in the early light. Lunch by the pool with friends and family is just more fun with butterflies, too.

You may even want to stay out after dusk to watch their cousins the moths as the night-blooming flowers open up. Some moths, like the luna, can be spectacularly beautiful. And dinner by the pool can be delightful as the day cools down.

When your favorite species of butterfly are swarming, for example, when the monarchs migrate through your area, you’ll want to take advantage of the opportunity to stay outside with them as much as you can.

Just make sure that your pool is well maintained, as healthful and beautiful as breakfast among the butterflies.

Tags: Butterflies, pool filters, pool chemicals, buddleia, swimming pool, moths, luna moth, butterfly bush

Monarch Butterflies Head South for the Winter

Aug 24th, 2011
by ButterflyLover.
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Monarch male showing its wings to attract a mate

MONARCH MALE SHOWING ITS WINGS TO ATTRACT A MATE Image via Wikipedia

Each year, some 250 million monarch butterflies arrive to the luscious volcanic highlands of central Mexico. Guided to the area by an inexplicable internal clock known scientifically as circadian, the monarch butterflies travel up to 3,000 miles to the state of Michoacan, which becomes the butterflies’ winter getaway.

Nature-goers can visit the butterflies anytime between November and March, although the best time to see them is in February and early March, right before they head north again.

Originally from southern Canada and the northern United States, the orange and black monarchs hibernate during winter and mate in spring before returning back north.

Each year from late October to early November, the delicate creatures flee the north’s freezing temperatures and embark on a month-long trip south, flying some 70 miles per day to reach the Oyamel mountaintop fir forests of the Mexican state of Michoacan. Those fortunate enough to live along the monarchs’ route south are frequently exposed to the sight of large groups of butterflies flying overhead on route to their winter sanctuary.

Tags: Monarch butterflies, winter sanctuary, beautiful butterflies, fir forests, oyamel forests

Harmless or Poisonous? Butterfly Mimicry and Survival

Aug 24th, 2011
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If you were a harmless butterfly what would you do to protect yourself?  Nature has created many ways for animals to protect themselves.  One common way is called mimicry.  What is mimicry?  It is when a harmless creature (the mimic) comes to look like a harmful creature (the model).
One butterfly, which is not so well known, is the Viceroy Butterfly.  These butterflies are harmless and defenseless.  They have no means of protecting themselves.  However, they have protected themselves by looking  very much like the popular Monarch butterfly.  To the untrained eye, the Viceroy Butterfly and the Monarch Butterfly look almost exactly alike.   They have the same orange coloring and black markings, except for one small detail.  If you look carefully at the Viceroy Butterfly, it has one barely detectable black horizontal vein going across its bottom wings.  To the untrained eye, they look identical.

Why does the Viceroy Butterfly mimic the Monarch Butterfly? To understand this, we have to look at the Monarch Butterfly.  What many people don’t know is that the Monarch Butterfly is poisonous to its predators due to its steady diet of the poisonous milkweed.  Birds have over time “learned” the pattern of the Monarch and have come to avoid the Monarch.
The Viceroys inadvertently have come to look more and more like the Monarch over time. The ones that don’t look like the Monarch have been picked off over time.  The remaining ones were those that looked like Monarch Butterflies.  The Viceroy Butterfly, by looking like the Monarch, has benefitted by looking like the Monarch as the birds avoid the Viceroy, thinking it is a Monarch.  This mechanism of survival is mimicry.

Mimicry is a common phenomenon that can be found animals and plants and is a way that harmless living things with no defenses can survive.

Teacher and owner of The Butterfly Grove butterfly decor to inspire. Nylon butterflies, dragonflies, flowers, bees, ladybugs and more!
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Tags: viceroy butterfly, Monarch butterflies, orange coloring, animals and plants, Monarch butterfly

The Amazing Life of the Monarch Butterfly

Mar 4th, 2011
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Monarch butterflies are easily natures most beautiful creatures. Read on to learn about the amazing behaviors of Monarch butterflies.

An Impressive Migration

The most common variety, and well known type of butterfly in North America is the Monarch butterfly. Monarch’s are fairly large for a butterfly, with a wingspan of about 4 inches, with beautiful orange, black, and white coloring on their wings – Monarchs are often highly sought after by butterfly enthusiasts and photographers alike.

Scientists believe that Monarch butterflies are the only family of insects that actually migrate. As winter approaches in colder climates, the Monarch starts to slow down and reproduction stops. Over the summer, they store fat reserves in their stomach in preparation for the winter.

As temperatures drop, Monarchs begin to journey south for the winter. In the west they tend to travel south of the Rocky Mountains. Throughout the U.S., they travel to Florida, Texas and Mexico. Canadian and Northwest American Monarch butterflies travel south to the coast of California and down to Southern California. The migration distance is truly amazing considering these are such small insects. Unbelievably, once the weather warms up again, the Monarch will return north to the exact same locations where they originally migrated from. While migrating, Monarchs are known to travel as fast as 30 miles per hour. Somehow, those little wings work miracles.

A Journey of Life

The migration of the Monarch is not just a way to escape from the cold of winter. These butterflies have actually incorporated the migration into the course of their life cycle. As these butterflies travel south, they also stop to mate and lay eggs on milkweed plants along the way. In the course of traveling, the older butterflies end up dying during the trip. Eventually, after only a few days, young butterflies are born and join with the existing population of butterflies. This means that the migration patterns of the monarch are also part of their reproduction cycle, and add to their population.

The Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly

The Monarch is from the species Lepidoptera, with a very unique life cycle. Monarches start their lives as tiny eggs, which eventually hatch into butterfly larvae. The first stage of the butterfly’s life is a birth as a caterpillar. The caterpillar eats a tremendous amount of food relative to its body size, and eventually finds a tree where it attaches and forms a pupa. Within this pupa, the caterpillar transforms itself into the stunningly beautiful Monarch butterfly. It is easy to understand why so many traditions and cultures across the world embrace the Monarch butterfly as a symbol of extreme transformation and change from something earthly and material into something spiritual and free. It is no surprise that Greek culture has embraced the butterfly as a symbol of the soul.

The Monarch butterfly has captured the imagination and love of butterfly enthusiasts around the world.

Learn everything you could possibly want to know about butterflies at TypesOfButterflies.net.

Ryan Dube has been freelance writing for over 10 years for publishers both online and offline and has covered topics including the paranormal, finance, relationships, and more. Learn more at Invisible Inc.
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Tags: milkweed plants, Monarch butterflies, butterfly enthusiasts, Monarch butterfly, winter in the west

Learn About the Monarch Butterfly

Feb 16th, 2011
by ButterflyLover.
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Monarch butterflies mating

Image via Wikipedia

The most familiar form, and well known form of butterfly in North America is the Monarch butterfly. Monarchs are somewhat large for a butterfly, with a wingspan of about 4 inches, with charming ginger, black, and colorless coloring on their wings – Monarchs are regularly highly required after by butterfly enthusiasts and photographers alike.

Scientists deem the Monarch butterflies are the only family of insects that actually migrate. As chill approaches in colder climates, the Monarch starts to dense down and reproduction stops. Over the summer, they amass fat coffers in their stomach in preparation for the chill.

As temperatures drop, Monarchs originate to journey south for the chill. In the west they lean to trek south of the Rocky Mountains. Throughout the U.S., they move to Florida, Texas and Mexico. Canadian and Northwest American Monarch butterflies voyage south to the coast of California and down to Southern California. (more…)

Tags: adult butterflies, Monarch butterfly, butterfly enthusiasts, milkweed plants, Monarch butterflies

Symbolism of Butterflies

Feb 6th, 2011
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There are many things that people associate with other living creatures. Just as a black cat may mean misfortune for some people, butterflies also symbolize so many things to some people. In the life cycle of a butterfly, it starts out as an egg that turns into a caterpillar. Then it becomes a cocoon before it turns into a beautiful creature capable of fluttering through the skies. The beauty of the butterfly and the unique transformation cycle are the most noticeable characteristics of this creature.

 

Butterfly sanctuaries and farms grow butterflies for commercial use. Whether for a butterfly releases during special events such as weddings or for framed butterflies, there are a lot of hobbyists and other people who truly admire the beauty of butterflies. Butterflies come in different colors and sizes, but there seems to be one common perception about them. For some people, butterflies mean soul, change, and transformation. Here are some of the most common beliefs and symbolisms associated with butterflies.

 

In Chinese culture, butterflies symbolize having long life and men who are in love often use the image of the butterfly to show this in letters or on other items. The Japanese have such great reverence for butterflies that the image is often incorporated into the family’s crest. The butterfly for them means marital bliss and the vibrancy of youth.

 

In Greek mythology, butterflies are meant to show the souls of loved ones. In Russia and for Irish people as well, butterflies are seen as souls of people waiting to pass through purgatory. There is a town in Mexico where Monarch butterflies migrate, and when swarms of butterflies appear, they celebrate this as the Day of the Dead.

 

In all of these beliefs, three things are common in their belief about what butterflies mean – transformation, change, and a new and better life. Butterflies go through many different stages in their lives before truly blossoming into a beautiful butterfly. The transformation, change and renewal of their lives can be synonymous to the life of a person. Just as when a person undergoes changes and faces difficulty and not so beautiful phases in their life, what happens next is that all these things are then transformed into a learning experience where the person grows and changes for the better. Just as the butterfly leaves behind its cocoon and transforms from a low crawling creature, the person now reaches his full potential is able to reach new heights.

 

The mystery and perception of people about butterflies will never seem to change. People attach themselves to not just the beauty but their belief in what the butterflies symbolize. So next time you see a butterfly, you can start to wonder whether a loved one who passed away is just nearby, or a special message and blessing is being sent to you. Whichever you think it might be, the butterfly is truly one of Mother Nature’s most beautiful, most amusing, and most mystifying creature of all. It is a living creature that deserved to be protected and revered by all.

Criss White is a professional article writer for arts, wedding, and various other topics. To view some butterfly favors or to get more planning tips and wedding favors, visit Bridal and Wedding Favors. Note: This article may be reprinted in your ezine, blog, or website as long as the credits remain intact and hyperlinks remain active.
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Tags: butterfly releases, cycle of a butterfly, marital bliss, life cycle of a butterfly, Monarch butterflies

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