Think the Earth

Monarchs in motion:Creative Commons,Some Rights Reserved,Photo by farflungphotos

Monarch butterflies (Danainae) are known as migratory butterflies that travel long distances. On February 12, experts of the University of Georgia in the US revealed that the wings of these butterflies have become significantly larger than those of the butterflies of the same species living in Central America or Caribbean Islands that don't have to fly long distances. The findings stated that such difference is the result of the biological evolution of monarch butterflies that travel a distance of 4,000 km.

The monarch butterfly is the most commonly seen species of butterflies in North America. They migrate to Central America (mainly to the Michoacán state in Mexico) from August to October every year in order to flee from the cold winter, and return to the US or Canada in the spring.

The monarch butterflies that have robust bodies resilient to long-distance flight, continue traveling for nearly 2 months. Although the average lifespan of butterflies including the monarch is said to be a few weeks, the generations of monarch butterflies that spend the winter in the south live longer, for a few months. The generation returning to the north will have an average lifespan; monarch butterflies that spend the winter in the south never return to North America.

Monarch butterflies are enrobed in mystery and are extremely beautiful. Due to their amazing strength and ability to travel long distance, their wings have grown 20% larger than their original size. Each of us should keep an eye on such great evolution of living creatures, so that there never will come a day when monarch butterflies no longer need to travel south as a result of global warming.