Omer 2019 Day 23: Monarch Butterflies

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Omer 2019 Day 23: Gevurah in Netzach, Strength in Endurance

Monarch Butterflies

Monarch butterfly at the US Botanic Garden, Summer 2014.
I named her Ruth. I don't remember why.

When we think of "strength" and "endurance," we don't often think of butterflies. Often, these delicate creatures are associated with positive change, beauty, and grace, but what you may not know is that monarch butterflies exhibit a tremendous amount of strength and endurance in their multi-generational migration events.

In the fall, adult monarch butterflies begin a migration of up to 3,000 miles south to avoid the cold, harsh winters of North America. Individuals in the central and eastern US migrate southwest to central Mexico, and butterflies in the western US migrate to California. Once they reach their "overwintering" grounds, adults enter a reproductive diapause - a period of time where reproduction stops - and focus on surviving the winter by staying in a state similar to hibernation. At the end of winter, in late-February or early-March, breeding season begins and the adults begin to travel north again, laying eggs along the way. This generation dies around mid-May, and the next generation takes over, also moving northward and laying eggs. This repeats for up to 4 generations, with the final generation born in the most northern parts of monarch territory, then following seasonal cues to migrate south as autumn approaches.

Not only are these incredible insects strong enough to endure a trans-continental migration every year, but the individuals that do it are not the same ones that did it the year before! Pretty crazy, huh?

This year's animal Omer is a collaboration between myself and my friend Halli, a PhD in animal science. Thank you for counting the Omer with us!