Have you ever heard about the tremendous migrations of monarch butterflies, sometimes covering thousands of miles? They fly south to the warm regions of California, Mexico, and even South America to spend the winter. Then in early summer, millions form large clouds as they fly north to the United States, including Alaska, and also to the Maritime Provinces and other parts of Canada.
While in those northern areas, great numbers of eggs are laid. They quickly hatch - not into baby butterflies—but into caterpillars that find their food in the plentiful, wild, milkweed plant and a few other selected plants. Soon, however, they lose interest in food and enclose themselves in a chrysalis made from silken threads which they spin.
Then an amazing change takes place. When summer is nearly over, they break out of their prison-like chrysalises—no longer as caterpillars-but changed into beautiful butterflies! After a short, thirty-minute rest, stretching their wings and other body parts, the fully grown butterflies take to the air. Now they drink only sweet liquid called nectar from wild flowers, since butterflies cannot bite or chew.
Meanwhile the parent butterflies have died. Though it may seem that the new generation is entirely on its own, we know that they are under the guidance of their Creator who delights to care for them. As they mature and build up strength, they sense that cold days of fall and winter are near at hand. Before long, great groups gather at night, leave their summer homes and fly south together. Each group flies to the same areas and to the very same trees their parents left behind many months before when they migrated north.
These migrations are much like those of many birds. But monarch migrations are even more remarkable, as they have never before made the long trip nor seen the areas which will be their winter homes. They, of course, could never accomplish these amazing feats if it were not so planned by their Creator. He guides them in ways too wonderful for us to understand.
Monarchs are not the only kind of butterfly that migrates. The painted lady butterflies cross the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa each year. They also fly in great flocks.
As our beginning Bible verse tells us, the Lord God, the Creator, found pleasure in giving to each group, and the individuals in it, its own lovely design, just as He has done with the vast number of birds, the flowers of the world and other things of His creation.
In the next article, we will look at a few other types of butterflies.
(to be continued)
ML-11/18/2001