The Migration of Monarchs

Did you know that Monarch butterflies migrate to warmer climates for the winter?


Monarchs can't survive the cold winters of the northern United States, so they fly south. They take their cues from nature as to when it's time to go.

                                 Once they arrive in their southern wintering places, lots of them will cluster on trees for warmth
Stuff you might not know about Monarchs:

• They are poisonous to eat, which protects them from predators such as frogs
• Their journeys may have them flying up to 3000 miles in search of warm weather
• They can fly about 12 to 25 miles in an hour
• Monarchs fly from Minnesota to Mexico
• They fly from other western states to southern California
• As caterpillars, they can eat an entire Milkweed plant in only five minutes
• Monarchs flap their wings slower than other butterflies
• There are conservation programs that actually tag butterflies and track where they go, their lifespan, and timing of migration

• The Monarch's scientific name is Danaus Plexippus
• Monarchs can also be found in Caribbean countries
• There will be four generations of butterflies born every year, but only the last one will survive and migrate

 Here's a map of the process: From Mexico and Southern California to the northern states, and back again:

Lots of great information about the Monarchs can be found here:  http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarchs

 

http://www.monarch-butterfly.com/monarch-butterflies-facts.html


A school in Cloquet, MN, studied and grew Monarchs, and then let them go. See the story here:  http://www.inforum.com/news/4345959-applying-science-life-students-release-monarch-butterflies-wild

Summer Bucket List 2.0

Here are some ideas to keep your brain functioning and your days less boring for Summer 2017:

 

• Make an entire meal for your family: Plan it, make it, clean up afterwards. If you already do this, try something new.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood and see how many different types of trees you can recognize.
•  Press some flowers--just put them under something heavy, or between the pages of a thick book, and wait
• Make a fairy garden without buying anything:

• Try to take an unusual picture every day for a week. Or two weeks. A month?
• Or, take tons of pictures all summer and then make an album or collage right before school starts-there are photo apps with a collage feature. Share with friends you haven't seen since the end of this school year.
• Fly a kite
• Visit your library. Get a library card if you don't already have one.
• While at the library, find a book that has an interesting title or whose author has an odd name. Read it. Did you like it, or not? Why?

• Re-read something you liked a while ago. Or exchange favorites with a friend.
• Built a blanket fort, or a cushion fort. Maybe build one outside.
• Clean your room. Put up some cool decorations you make yourself. It will shock your parents.
• Think up a great Halloween costume: you have lots of time--but how awesome would it be if it was all ready?!!

• Dance.
• Learn origami.  http://www.origami-instructions.com/simple-origami.html

• Try your hand at making paper. https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-make-handmade-paper-604163
• Measure the rainfall in a rain gauge all summer. Keep track of how much rain we get in total from the last day of school until September 1.

• Write something on the sidewalk with chalk, to brighten someone's day.
• Look for minnows in a lake. Watch how they behave.
• How many rainbows will you see this summer? Try to get a picture of each. They fade fast.
• Go to a free outdoor concert--Look for free concerts available by looking up your city website.

For example, these free concerts are held at the Coon Rapids Dam, Pavilion 3: https://www.anokacounty.us/941/Summer-Concert-Series

 

Do one good deed every day without asking anything in return:

• Give someone a smile.
• Open a door for someone
• Before the end of the school year, say thank you to a custodian for keeping your school in order.
• Pull some weeds
• Put something away even if you didn't get it out
• Pick a flower from your yard, put it in a vase, set it out to enjoy
• Leave a dollar somewhere for someone to find

• Call your grandparent just to talk for a while
• Buy lemonade from a kid's lemonade stand
• Go up to someone shy in a gathering and start a conversation.
• Sit quietly with someone having a hard time
• Share a snack with someone
• Post something positive on Facebook

What's on your summer bucket list 2017?

 

 

 

 

 

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