Monarchs and the Miracle of Migration

Every year, monarch butterflies– those showy, Halloween-colored beauties– engage in one of nature’s most extraordinary feats, flying to very few secluded mountain valleys in Mexico. After wintering there, they begin a perilous journey north, taking three, even four generations to return to Pennsylvania. And in the fall, they start over again. How do they accomplish this remarkable feat? Why did this even evolve?

Among the most popular butterflies, the monarch is also among the most endangered, their numbers in steep decline in recent decades– for surprising reasons. The Schuylkill Center’s Mike Weilbacher shares the butterfly’s unique story, weaving contemporary with folk legend and Aztec myth. You’ll gain a new appreciation for the monarch, and learn how you can help this amazing creature.