Chamisa and the
Monarch Butterfly
I
sit at my desk in the sun at La sanctuary in Angangueo, Michoacan,
Puerta and watch through my where the transvolcanic mountains
window at what looks to be rise to about 11,000 feet and are
Monarch butterflies (it could be the home to pine and oyamel fir trees.
North American Viceroy, I suppose, From Angangueo we rode horse-
but I don’t choose to think so) flitting back high up into the mountains
here and there, landing on the chami- until we were literally surrounded
sa that is glowing in the sunlight, by butterflies: great clusters of
still beautifully golden--this clump orange attached to limbs of trees,
not yet having reached the silvery, and overhead (and the air around us)
going-to-seed stage. It’s such filled with butterflies. It was a magi-
a lovely sight, and I saw cal experience. “Las monarcas”
the same phenomenon are arriving there now, hundreds
yesterday when I of thousands at a time. The
stopped to talk with cold front in Oklahoma a
the piñon-wood few weeks ago pushed them
salesman stationed along, and as of today, I read
between a bank of that they have appeared in the
blossoming and gently skies of northern Mexico. There
blowing chamisa and the are only twelve mountain tops on
arched entryway to Ranchos de the planet where these butterflies
Placitas. Yes, I did buy wood, as it is feel at home, and there they winter,
getting to be time for nightly fires in because it’s warmer than in far-
the kiva fireplace. It’s a treat to watch north North America where they go
the fire while cooking, and a cozy through their egg, larva, pupa, to
and warm atmosphere for eating adult stages. While the larva needs
dinner--celebrating the sunset and the milkweed to reach the pupa stage,
end of another day on the high desert the adult sips liquids only--golden-
in New Mexico. I usually do some- rod, thistle, lantana and other plants,
thing like dig in the garden or stack like chamisa. As the adults head
wood when I am warming up to writ- south, the females lay eggs along
ing something, so since I am writing the route. It actually takes
something today, I also moved three generations of
the geraniums, which spend the monarchs to reach
summer next to the front door, Angangueo, but
to sunny places inside. Dick once there, no
and I then had space to stack reproductive
a week’s supply of firewood activity takes
handy to the fireplace. place. The
adults live five
So fall is here. The thermom- months in Mexico,
eter is dipping below freezing just longer than the gen-
before dawn. I slipped on just a tiny erations that precede them
sliver of ice on the front walk this and also those that come after. When
morning as I headed to my car for the they head north in March, they have
morning trip to Curves. The apricot only a few weeks to live, and they
trees are red-orange and shedding have to get to the milkweed to lay
their leaves. A kitty was huddled their eggs, so the cycle can begin
up there in the leaves this morning, again.
taunting two desperately-agitated
Welsh terriers who were leaping If we are lucky, we humans know
around below. The cottonwoods are four generations during our lifetime.
almost fully in color the entire length I knew my grandparents, in fact,
of the Rio Grande, a green-gold grew up with one set of them. My
ribbon. The Monarch butter- parents, of course, my children, and
flies are stocking up on now my grandchildren. We
whatever our chamisa also have great-grand-
has to offer en route children--Dick for real,
to Mexico for the and for me, inherited.
winter. Strange If I am still more
that they would lucky, I might know
find something ed- other great- grand-
ible about chryso- children. Time goes
thamnus nauseosus. by so quickly. And it
But then, milkweed seems like the seasons
isn’t so great, either, just rush right by. With
and that’s where the eggs the seasons, so does life.
are laid, on the underside of the I’m almost the oldest generation
leaf, and that is also the caterpillar’s now. I think a lot about this as my
food—a poisonous plant for a but- mother winds down and my father
terfly that also ends up poisonous has already passed to whatever he
to a creature that surely doesn’t try has passed to. Mom talks to him
ingesting one more than once. every night. Tonight she may tell
him about the Monarch butterflies. I
Dick and I have visited a Monarch imagine she will. ■
Lucy Noyes, CRS, Associate Broker
lucy@LaPuertaLLC.com
www.lucynoyes.com
La Puerta Real Estate Services, LLC
One Ridge Court, Placitas, New Mexico 87043
505-867-3388 office • 505-280-8352 mobile