Bugland: Wintering In Mexico
Monarch butterflies are one of the most recognizable and beloved butterflies on the planet. Each fall, Monarchs in Colorado flutter away, up to an astonishing 3,000 miles, to central Mexico. By early November, they have reached their winter destination, and aggregate in oyamel fir trees on south-southwest facing mountain slopes. There, the butterflies are protected from predators, and conserve their energy to return to their breeding grounds in North America in the spring. This Monarch butterfly was photographed during the summer in Green Valley Ranch, northeast of Park Hill, by Mark Silverstein.