Hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate to Mexico each year to spend the winter in an astonishingly small region. The butterflies gather on a dozen mountaintops in a region only 73 miles wide.The butterflies are currently passing through the Altus area. Scientists will visit the butterfly wintering sites in December and measure the surface area the colonies cover. To see a chart showing the data the scientists have collected over the past 18 years, visit http://www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/fall2012/c110812_count.html, or use your smartphone to scan the QR code shown here. This year’s results will be released in February 2013. The 12 major monarch sactuaries in Mexico are Altamirano, San Andres, Mil Combres, Sierra Chincua, El Rosario, La Mesa, Chivati-Huacal, Lomas de Aparacio, Cerro Pelon, Peidra Herrada, San F. Oxtotilpan, and Palomas.
* Did you know that a monarch colony contains 10-50 million butterflies in one hectare of forest?
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