Posted February 10, 2011 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
After visiting the Sierra Chincua Monarch Sanctuary, we spend the night at the village of Angangueo. A booming mining town at one time, Angangueo is located at an altitude of about 8,400 ft. Around this same time last year, this village was devastated by heavy rains and accompanying mud slides, which closed the whole village for several days causing economic hardship to the local folks dependent of tourists visiting Monarch butterfly sanctuaries. Remnants of the damage cause by the mudslide are still visible.
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Posted February 9, 2011 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
We start from Morelia early in the morning northeast towards Tlalpujahua to Sierra Chincua. The drive is approximately three hours. One of five publicly accessible sanctuaries, Sierra Chincua is the wintering site of millions of Monarch butterflies that fly south to hibernate during the winter months, from November to February.
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Posted October 5, 2010 by Sarah Spearman, Education Sales Coordinator
Every winter, the cloud forests in the mountains of central Mexico play host to millions and millions of over-wintering monarch butterflies. The annual migration of these monarchs from the Great Lakes region is one of nature’s greatest mysteries. The Gardens is offering a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to get to experience this migration yourself. Join Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
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Posted September 14, 2009 by Sarada Krishnan, Director of Horticulture
Of all nature’s wonders, one of the most fascinating phenomenons is the annual migration ritual performed by Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in North America. What is amazing is how these tiny creatures, four or five generations removed, return year after year to the same overwintering grounds in Mexico. Millions of monarch butterflies during fall make the trip from the eastern United States and Canada each year to Mexico’s southwestern flank of the Transverse Neovolcanic Mountains congregating in the oyamel fir (Abies religiosa) forest, ten thousand feet in elevation. No other butterfly performs such an arduous migration feat as the monarch with some individuals traveling up to 2,000 miles.
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