Only a week before the trip's start date I was invited to join the trip by Dr. Thomas Emmel at the University of Florida where I work. It was one of those meant to happen things I guess.. I stumbled into his office hoping to get some questions answered about the monarch conservation efforts at UF that I wanted to add into a monarch presentation I was presenting to a retirement community a couple days later. He was one of the trip leaders and has been leading this trip annually for a long time and I didn't even expect to be included on the trip. Having mixed emotions as we put our beloved dog Alvin to sleep just hours after I gave my presentation 2 days later, this was an emotional experience that seemed to have strange timing that I later found to have some significance. I was ecstatic to have gained the opportunity to go on the trip I had always dreamed about and couldn't wait.
After the heartbreak of losing our dog, I tried to focus on getting ready for my trip as a distraction. I packed my bags and on February 20th Josh dropped me off at the Gainesville airport a little before 5AM. Later that night I was in Mexico. We stayed at a gorgeous rustic hotel in Angangueo which lacked heat but had beautiful luscious gardens and bright blossoming flowers in pots filling all the balconies and walkways.
Every morning and evening we had a buffet style meal, and unfortunately I had to give up being vegan for a few days since absolutely everything had dairy in it. It was unavoidable and I wasn't happy about it (I got sick from eating something and I personally think it was from eating dairy when my body isn't used to it anymore), but besides judging the food from a moral perspective it was all fantastic. I tried lots of new foods like stuffed chili peppers and cactus, and of course still stuck to a vegetarian diet and stayed vegan whenever possible. Fortunately I was loaded with vegan snacks and protein bars to hold me over for most of the trip, and we got PB&J sandwiches for lunch which I gladly accepted.
Every morning and evening we had a buffet style meal, and unfortunately I had to give up being vegan for a few days since absolutely everything had dairy in it. It was unavoidable and I wasn't happy about it (I got sick from eating something and I personally think it was from eating dairy when my body isn't used to it anymore), but besides judging the food from a moral perspective it was all fantastic. I tried lots of new foods like stuffed chili peppers and cactus, and of course still stuck to a vegetarian diet and stayed vegan whenever possible. Fortunately I was loaded with vegan snacks and protein bars to hold me over for most of the trip, and we got PB&J sandwiches for lunch which I gladly accepted.
On the 21st we rode up into the mountains of El Rosario, one of the overwintering monarch sites. On the way up the mountain, there were many species of birds including a beautiful hummingbird I saw up close. After a long hike uphill, the monarchs started appearing and I saw some feeding on nectar producing flowers.
There were a few here and there but not many drifting through the forests yet. I saw one roost of them in the distance, where a large group of them hung from a branch looking like dead leaves. Then there weren't any more monarchs for a while, just some dead ones laying around on the ground that had fallen prey to mice and grosbeaks which have mastered the ability to eat their abdomens and avoid eating their leathery wings that contain the toxic cardio glycoside the monarchs get from eating milkweed as caterpillars. Suddenly, I walked out into a habitat that opened up into a meadow and the sky was just starting to become covered with them. The grasses to the sides of the path were dotted with orange as more and more monarchs starting gathering as the morning warmed up.
I spent some time taking in the beauty of the monarchs and then moved on into the forest past the meadow where millions of them covered the trees and could be seen flying in a snow globe pretty far back into the trees where the sunlight hit.
Every time the warmth of the sun touched a tree of monarchs they took off in a "burst" and there was a wave of orange butterflies concentrated in the air. It was so magical every time there was a burst. Most of the people on our trip, especially the tour leaders Tom Emmel & Ian Segebarth were photographing and videotaping the monarchs. There was also a film crew working on a documentary called "Butterfly Trees". There were grad students and staff from UF on the trip I had already known and some undergrad students that I became close with on the trip and most of them spent a lot of time taking pictures and videos of the monarchs, and of course I did too when I wasn't just basking in the blizzard, and mesmerized with this experience that felt more like a dream than real life. After hours in the forest I went back to the meadow where there were intervals of butterfly blizzards and then them regathering on the trees again.
There were a few here and there but not many drifting through the forests yet. I saw one roost of them in the distance, where a large group of them hung from a branch looking like dead leaves. Then there weren't any more monarchs for a while, just some dead ones laying around on the ground that had fallen prey to mice and grosbeaks which have mastered the ability to eat their abdomens and avoid eating their leathery wings that contain the toxic cardio glycoside the monarchs get from eating milkweed as caterpillars. Suddenly, I walked out into a habitat that opened up into a meadow and the sky was just starting to become covered with them. The grasses to the sides of the path were dotted with orange as more and more monarchs starting gathering as the morning warmed up.
I spent some time taking in the beauty of the monarchs and then moved on into the forest past the meadow where millions of them covered the trees and could be seen flying in a snow globe pretty far back into the trees where the sunlight hit.
Every time the warmth of the sun touched a tree of monarchs they took off in a "burst" and there was a wave of orange butterflies concentrated in the air. It was so magical every time there was a burst. Most of the people on our trip, especially the tour leaders Tom Emmel & Ian Segebarth were photographing and videotaping the monarchs. There was also a film crew working on a documentary called "Butterfly Trees". There were grad students and staff from UF on the trip I had already known and some undergrad students that I became close with on the trip and most of them spent a lot of time taking pictures and videos of the monarchs, and of course I did too when I wasn't just basking in the blizzard, and mesmerized with this experience that felt more like a dream than real life. After hours in the forest I went back to the meadow where there were intervals of butterfly blizzards and then them regathering on the trees again.
The monarchs in Mexico are part of a methuselah generation that live much longer than their parents and grandparents. These individuals roosting and flying in this overwintering population migrate to Mexico in the fall from the United States and Canada and then return back north in the spring, laying eggs and creating future generations that continue the migration upwards the rest of the way. The cycle keeps continuing. These individuals are able to live longer by using their energy more sparingly and hibernating in the fir trees when the temperatures are cold and wait until the warm sun provides them enough energy to fly and search for water and nectar to refuel for months.
We stayed up at the site for most of the day and then hiked back down the path where there were many locals selling monarch related souvenirs (most homemade) along the pathway to the exit of the site. Of course I bought some monarch items and on the way out I got a cone of lime sorbet which was dairy free and delish! That evening we had a monarch lecture by Dr. Emmel which complimented the events we had witnessed during the day.
On the 22nd we went to a second monarch site in Sierra Chincua.
Here there was a more concentrated group of monarchs much less spread out and in a smaller portion of the forest.
We waited almost 3 hours for the monarchs to start having any activity from their huge roosts covering the trees and branches entirely, and when they did, the feeling emotionally was indescribable.
The best I can describe the experience as is watching an entire group of trees and branches just covered in clusters of monarchs resembling tons of dead tree leaves seem to be shaken inside a snow globe and suddenly bursts of monarchs covered the sky and forest in a thick layer of orange. As they landed on branches it was literally like a blizzard, with huge orange snowflakes dotting everything.
I had hiked up the mountain which was farther of a hike than the El Rosario Site, so I rode a horse back down just for the experience.
When we had to actually leave the monarchs I felt like someone was ripping me out of a dream. I sent them a message through a whisper before I left for a friend of mine. On the way up though, there had been some incredible overlook sites and an interesting species of Arctiid moth.
On the way down there was some scenic meadows, and at the bottom more shopping, a zipline course which of course I did, and some cute little restaurants where I got a blue corn tortilla quesadilla stuffed with mushrooms and cactus. When we got back to Angangueo we explored the downtown area and saw the local culture of the area.
One of the saddest parts of the trip for me besides seeing the poorer areas of Mexico was also the homeless and starving dogs. It broke my heart to see these animals with no care or love. It was also disheartening to see people just getting by, so for that reason I felt good to buy souvenirs and goods from the locals to help support their businesses.
That night we had a follow-up lecture by Dr. Emmel to answer any questions and fill in the information he wasn't able to squeeze in the night before.
Here there was a more concentrated group of monarchs much less spread out and in a smaller portion of the forest.
We waited almost 3 hours for the monarchs to start having any activity from their huge roosts covering the trees and branches entirely, and when they did, the feeling emotionally was indescribable.
I had hiked up the mountain which was farther of a hike than the El Rosario Site, so I rode a horse back down just for the experience.
When we had to actually leave the monarchs I felt like someone was ripping me out of a dream. I sent them a message through a whisper before I left for a friend of mine. On the way up though, there had been some incredible overlook sites and an interesting species of Arctiid moth.
One of the saddest parts of the trip for me besides seeing the poorer areas of Mexico was also the homeless and starving dogs. It broke my heart to see these animals with no care or love. It was also disheartening to see people just getting by, so for that reason I felt good to buy souvenirs and goods from the locals to help support their businesses.
That night we had a follow-up lecture by Dr. Emmel to answer any questions and fill in the information he wasn't able to squeeze in the night before.
On the 23rd I woke up sick from something I ate (surprise, surprise.. who doesn't get sick in Mexico?) but not many people had gotten sick so it's possible I just wasn't doing well eating dairy (and I like to think of it that way, just to further support my argument for going vegan). We headed back towards Mexico City and stopped at a restaurant on the way for lunch. I gorged on rice since that's all I could handle. Fortunately I felt better by the time we reached the Teotihuacan Pyramids, where we climbed the Pyramid of the Sun, walked around the archeological sites, checked out the museum and bargained with the artisans for some beautiful souvenirs. There was beautiful silver and semi-precious stones for very good steals; I wish I had realized what a bargain it was at the time and I would have bought much more jewelry than I did.
Our last night there we stayed in an upscale hotel in Mexico City. My friend's sister lives in Mexico City so she took out a small group of us for a crazy night on the town. After many rounds of free drinks on the house, me refusing to try their margarita style "salt" that really consists of skipper larvae (worms as they call it) ground up and mixed with salt I had to pass on that part. The night got crazier as it went on but was certainly one to (not) remember, as we got back to the hotel around 3AM. I had the worst hangover the next day (the 24th) since I failed to drink any water before going to bed.. you can't drink the tap water there and I had ran out of bottled water. I had to gauge the consequences of drinking contaminated water against those of having a horrible hangover and I guess the hangover won. An entire day of transfer flights, the bag I wanted to check falling apart due to a broken zipper (good thing I had some duct tape to hold it together!) so I was lugging around 3 pieces of luggage as carry-ons.... essentially was not fun while trying to hold in my vomit. Not to mention I got some motion sickness on the bus the first day, HOWEVER.. I wouldn't have changed a thing... the slight suffering only made the trip more memorable and for the amazing opportunity I got the privilege of experiencing, I would have suffered as much as necessary. It was all totally worth it!
To sum up my trip, it was magical, inspiring, tear-jerking, unforgettable, unreal, intense, remarkable.... and did I say unreal? There is no way to describe the picturesque monarchs without being there to see them. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and something I recommend to any nature lovers as the monarch migration is an incredible phenomenon that is in danger of being lost due to the threats of climate change, deforestation, habitat destruction, and herbicide resistant crops overtaking the fields of milkweed that once existed through most of the midwestern United States. To help the monarchs, please plant native milkweeds in your garden in the spring to attract monarchs and give them a location to propagate. The most amazing experience I have ever had, which I will never forget and I hope to get to experience again one day. I could have stayed up on that mountain with the monarchs forever. I could keep staring at the roosts just waiting for the sun to warm their wings and shake the snow globe of monarchs. My dream has finally come true, and I have no doubt Alvin's spirit, probably accompanied by that of my dad, who got me passionate about nature and insects and animals as a kid were in those colonies of monarchs too. The Mexicans believe that the monarchs passing through their towns in the fall, which coincides with their annual "Day of the Dead" celebration, is all of the spirits and souls of their loved ones that have passed. This significance of a hard time losing my childhood dog coinciding with my experience seeing the monarchs meant that I know Alvin is now at peace.
Special thanks to Holbrook Travel for this experience!
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