El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary

I had travelled a considerable distance from my home in Toronto for the privilege of standing on this mountaintop in Mexico. As least as far as many of these monarchs had flown. I felt connected to them and thought maybe even one or two of the butterflies in the sanctuary might have visited my garden back home, where I plant butterfly milkweed and swamp milkweed to help build habitat along the fly way.

I gawked at the hundreds and hundreds of monarch butterflies clustered together in bunches. Roosting protects against cold and wet weather, and helps conserve energy for long-distance travel. The dark oval bulges were well camouflaged in the pine trees above, but when the sun came out from behind the clouds, there were flickers of orange as they spread their wings. 

Twenty or so people were standing below, substantially outnumbered and waiting patiently for the sun to more fully emerge and work its magic to ignite the treetops.

Those butterflies would have migrated a distance of 4800 km from Toronto to El Rosario at an average speed of 15 km/h. They travel between 50-100 miles a day and it can take up to two months to complete their journey. The southern flyers are a super generation that can live up to 8 months and make the entire journey, whereas summer generations only live a few short weeks. Tommy Thompson Park, Colonel Sam Smith Park, Toronto Island, and Pesquile Beach are all good locations in southern Ontario to catch the spectacle of monarch butterfly migration.

To travel to El Rosario, I had flown to Mexico City, then driven to Michoacán, then ridden a horse, and then made the final arduous climb. My legs felt like rubber and I was huffing and puffing. The Purépechan native woman at my side was about my age, and taking it all in stride. We weren't able to communicate in words, but with gestures and smiles. She handed me a fresh herb to help my catch my breath. I breathed in deeply and it brought immediate relief... I think it was a form of eucalyptus. 

Originally my husband Rob and I were going to stay two nights in Michoacán to improve our chances of favourable conditions, but we changed our plans to spend more time in Mexico City. Since Rob wasn't too sure about the altitude or the strain on his hip, I made the day trip from Mexico with a guide. 

Carlos takes day trippers several times a week in Jan/Feb when the monarchs are in their peak season. The towns and villages here celebrate the monarchs and derive significant income from tourists who visit. 

In the meadow on the way up, we saw many monarchs in flight. There were ropes guiding the path, to help preserve the forest floor and direct traffic. The guide posts are adjusted every day as the butterflies change their roosting location. When we reached the tip of the trail, there were the butterflies, hundreds and hundreds in clusters. 

What I hadn't quite expected were the dead butterflies in the brush underfoot. In cooler weather some monarchs will nestle closer to the ground, making them prey to mice and other forest creatures. 

Conditions weren't optimum that day and it was a Monday, so there weren't many people on the hill with us. The best time to see the monarchs in flight is on warm and sunny days. Today was cool and cloudy. In fact, by the time we made it back down the hillside, it was hailing in the parking lot. I was worried for the monarchs' fragile wings.

Monarch butterfly populations have declined by 80–95% over the last three decades, with a significant mass die-off in early 2024 linked directly to toxic pesticide exposure. 

It is my sincere hope that rising awareness of the need to plant more milkweed will inspire others to boost habitat and help to restore some of the population.

In my own garden, I'm planting butterfly and swamp milkweed, with the hope of seeing butterflies, eggs or pupae taking refuge on the plants. There are also the frequent flyers who stop by our sailboat to rest their wings when we are out on Lake Ontario in August.

Now, I can easily imagine them taking flight in El Rosario.