MMM, MMM GOOD: Emily Poulin, of South China, captured this monarch butterfly enjoying the nectar.

by Roland D. Hallee

While watching the National Geographics channel on television, I saw an episode of a series called Great Migrations, and became very interested in the Monarch butterflies, who are among the most intriguing of the migrating species.

The monarch is probably the best known of all North American butterflies. Its wings feature an easily recognizable orange and black pattern, with a wingspan of 3-1/2 – 4 inches.

The monarch is most famous for its southward migration and northward return in summer in the Americas which spans the lifetime of three to four generations of the butterfly.

The upper side of the wings is tawny-orange, the veins and margins are black, and in the margins are two series of small white spots. The fore wings also have a few orange spots near the tip. The underside is similar but the tip of the fore wing and hind wing are yellow-brown instead of tawny-orange and the white spots are larger.

In North  America, the monarch ranges from southern Canada to northern South America.

Monarchs are especially noted for their lengthy annual migration. In North America they make massive southward migrations starting in August until the first frost. A northward migration takes place in the spring. The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south as the birds do on a regular basis. But no single individual makes the entire round trip. Female monarchs deposit eggs for the next generation during these migrations.

By the end of October, the population east of the Rocky Mountains migrates to the sanctuaries of the Mariposa Monarca Biosphere Reserve within the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt pine-oak forests in the Mexican states of Michoacán and México. The western population overwinters in various sites in central coastal and southern California, United States, notably in Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz.

The length of these journeys exceeds the normal lifespan of most monarchs, which is less than two months for butterflies born in early summer. The last generation – also known as the super generation – of the summer enters into a non-reproductive phase and may live seven months or more. These butterflies fly to one of many overwintering sites. The generation that overwinters generally does not reproduce until it leaves the overwintering site sometime in February and March.

It is the second, third and fourth generations that return to their northern locations in the United States and Canada in the spring. How the species manages to return to the same overwintering spots over a gap of several generations is still a subject of research; the flight patterns appear to be inherited, based on a combination of the position of the sun in the sky and a time-compensated sun compass that depends upon a circadian (repeating in a 24-hour cycle) clock that is based in their antennae.

Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings. They are becoming more common in Bermuda due to increased usage of milkweed as an ornamental plant in flower gardens.

Because they feed mainly on milkweed, monarch butterflies are poisonous or distasteful to birds and mammals because of the presence of cardiac glycosides that are contained in milkweed consumed by the larva. It is thought the bright colors of larva and adults function as warning colors. During hibernation monarch butterflies sometimes suffer losses because hungry birds pick through them looking for the butterflies with the least amount of poison, but in the process killing those they reject. Some birds, such as orioles and jays have learned to eat only the thoracic muscles and abdominal contents because they contain less poison. In Mexico, about 14 percent of the overwintering monarchs are eaten by birds and mice.

Many people like to attract monarchs by growing a butterfly garden with a specific milkweed species. Many schools also enjoy growing and attending to monarch butterflies, starting with the caterpillar form. When the butterflies reach adulthood they are released into the wild.

Recent illegal deforestation of the monarch’s overwintering grounds have led to a drastic reduction in the butterfly’s population. Efforts to classify it as a protected species and to restore its habitat are under way. Also, a problem in North America is the black swallow-wort plant. Monarchs lay their eggs on these plants since they produce stimuli similar to milkweed. Once the eggs hatch, the caterpillars are poisoned by the toxicity of this invasive plant.

The common name “Monarch” was first published in 1874 by Samuel H. Scudder because “it is one of the largest of our butterflies, and rules a vast domain.”

Monarchs are beautiful to watch during the summer, but the next time you see one, think of what that particular butterfly may have gone through to be with us.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who became the first major league pitcher to win 20 of his first 21 decisions in 2001?

by Roland D. Hallee

There is nothing more soothing than to hear a coyote cry out in the darkness when at a remote location in Maine.

Coyotes have made a return to Maine. This happened sometime in the 1960s and they have settled in very well. Archeological research has shown that coyotes lived in the East 30,000 years ago. What caused the coyote to leave the East is not known.

With the extirpation of the wolf in the lower 48 states caused by clearcutting of the virgin forests, and constant predator control, coyotes began to roam. From the southwest they roamed to Alaska and Canada, and then on to the northern Great Lakes region, and into Ontario and Québec. In eastern Canada, coyotes encountered scattered packs of the Eastern Canadian wolf population. Generally, coyote and wolves do not get along. If a coyote comes across wolves, he is certainly going to die. But these groups of wolves acted differently toward the coyotes since their numbers had been decimated due to extensive hunting and trapping, breaking down their complex social structure. Subsequently, many eastern coyote offsprings possess some degree of wolf genes, but remain coyotes in both appearance and behavior.

Coyotes are one of the most adaptable animals in the world, changing their breeding habits, diet and social dynamics to survive in a wide variety of habitats.

The coyote can be found on the North American continent, and only on this continent. They are also known by other names, such in the southwest and Mexico where they are called “Old Man,” and in other areas of the continent as “America’s Song Dog.” Many Native American myths were passed on from generation to generation with coyote chosen as lead character in all their stories. The Native Americans recognized and respected the coyote’s intelligence, adaptability, cunning, curiosity and humor. The ancient Aztecs gave the coyote his name: “Coyoti,” meaning “God’s dog.”

The coyote is one of the few wild animals whose vocalizations are commonly heard. At night, coyotes both howl and emit a series of short, high-pitched yips. Howls are used to keep in touch with other coyotes in the area. Sometimes, when it is first heard, the listener may experience a tingling fear of primitive dogs, but to the seasoned outdoorsman, the howl of the coyote is truly a song of the West.

The howling shows territorial warnings to other male coyotes. Females are always welcome. Yelping indicates a celebration or criticism within a small group of coyotes. The bark is what the coyote is named for, Canis lantrans means “barking dog.” That is used to display threats when a coyote is protecting a den or a kill. Huffing is usually used for calling pups without making a great deal of noise.

That relationship with humans ended when the Europeans arrived in North America. In his book The Voice of the Coyote, Frank Dobie wrote, “The English-Americans have never taught coyote any language but that of lead, steel, and strychnine.” The coyote, though, was not alone in experiencing the wrath of the settlers, other native wildlife were either pushed into extinction, or their populations were diminished – the wolf being one of them. The coyote, however, would survive.

For centuries, coyote lived with wolves, but very cautiously. It was important for the coyote to stay outside wolf territory if they wanted to survive.

According to Geri Vistein, representing the national Coyote Project, “Coyotes are very capable of co-existing with us, but we need to keep coyotes wild, by never providing them food, water or shelter.”

Conversely, killing coyotes to protect farm animals can actually have the opposite affect. Stable, healthy families of coyotes are likely to be wary of humans, said Vistein, while wandering, unhealthy or starving coyotes are more likely to snag an unprotected chicken or other farm animal. Killing coyotes that have established their territories only opens those areas up to marauding coyotes.

Although there have been no reports of coyotes attacking people in Maine, there are a few things to remember if you should encounter one. Ninety-nine percent of encounters with coyotes result in no confrontation. They are wary of humans. Only on occasion will they display some aggressiveness. Watch its behavior. It’s natural reaction will be to identify you, and then turn away and run off. If it becomes aggressive, treat it like a dog. Show it that you are the master: shout at it, stand your ground, but do not run away.

The coyote’s tail is used to signify a threat. It becomes bushy and is held horizontally when the coyote displays aggressiveness.

Humans have mixed emotions about coyotes. Some want them killed while others see benefits in their presence. Some rural residents feel the presents of coyotes restrict the freedoms of their pets and their own lifestyles, while others who have farm animals, using the proper precautions, have never experienced the loss of any farm animals at the hands of coyotes that are obviously present in the area.

The coyote seems to be asking for humans to feel comfortable having wildness in settled places, it’s up to mankind if that is to happen.

Whether to allow the coyote to live or die is a debate that has gone on for centuries in the United States, but to quote Dell Hymes in his Fivefold Fanfare for Coyote: “…Never will he go from this land / Here always, as long as the land is, / that is how Coyote is in this land….”

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

The MLB Texas Rangers have been in Texas for 53 years. However, their history goes back to 1961. From where did they move to Texas?