Monarch Butterfly Tour

Monarch butterflies are reaching their overwintering sites in Mexico. Visitors to these winter habitats describe witnessing the countless monarchs as a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

My friend, Jacqui Knight, recounted her experience to me: “I was in Mexico a few years ago to see the monarchs. I was amazed at how many monarchs we could see in the trees – the experience was mind-blowing. And so I was completely amazed at just how many more monarchs I saw on this trip.

The day after we arrived, we rode up Cerro Pelon, and halfway up the mountain the horses stopped in a shady passage. Suddenly I realized we were surrounded by a stream of monarchs, a constant stream, flying towards us and further down the mountain. The stream joined up with another stream as the monarchs surged down the mountain, looking for nectar sources further down. Some of them stopped nearby to sip at salvias and other wildflowers beside the track.

We rode on and found the monarchs in a clearing in huge bunches in the trees. It was a thrill when something prompted the monarchs to burst into life… looking up at the blue sky it was as if I was standing next to a huge bonfire with ashes littering the sky, falling around us.

And at the very top the trees were thick with monarchs. These were harder to see as they sat, wings closed in the trees. But we could see them and hear them… the gentle swish of a wonder of wings in the pines and firs. I had never imagined that I would see so many!

The next day down in the village of Macheros we saw monarchs flying everywhere looking to top up on their reserves before they began the journey northwards, and they were puddling thickly in a stream near some houses… so many monarchs that you could hardly see the stream.”

If you want to have this once-in-a-lifetime experience, I highly recommend a company called Explora Latin America. I have already recommended this company to others, and they come back telling me it was such a fantastic experience and that the tour guides, Sid and Chris, were amazing.

Alicia Griebenow wrote: “I would like to thank you for your recommendation to my husband, Brian, for the best Monarch tour group in Mexico.  He had contacted you in planning for a Christmas gift/birthday trip.  We are presently towards the end of our week traveling with Explora Latin America.  Sid & Chris are the sweetest, kindest and most passionate couple for our Monarchs.  They have attended to our group of 13 with the utmost patience and care.  I want to take them home with me. Thank you.”

Brian Griebenow in front of a monarch mural.

What’s included?

  • 8-day trip
  • Airport pick up upon arrival (airport code: MEX)
  • 7 nights of accommodation (double occupancy)
  • 7 breakfasts
  • 3 dinners
  • Purified water refills
  • Bilingual tour leader throughout the trip
  • Private transportation on air-conditioned van with professional driver
  • Entry and visit to 3 Monarch Butterfly Sanctuaries
  • Local guides (ejidatarios) for the Butterfly Reserves
  • Presentation and follow-up discussion on the Monarch migration
  • Guided tour of the pyramids of Teotihuacan
  • Tour of the Jardín Botánico Cosmovitral in Toluca
  • Free time in Valle de Bravo and Mexico City

    Stay in the small colonial town of Anganguero, surrounded by impressive mountains and forests.
Stay two days at the Rancho Cumbre Monarca which is a 10-minute drive to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve.
Teotihuacan is known today as the site of many of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids built in the pre-Columbian Americas, namely the Pyramid of the Sun and the Pyramid of the Moon.

It is not too early to book because they do fill up rather quickly.   https://www.exploralatinamerica.com.mx/join-a-tour/

Here is the website, where you can check the detailed itinerary, and read more of the testimonials.
https://www.exploralatinamerica.com.mx/monarch-butterflies/

Photos and videos courtesy of Alicia and Brian Griebenow of Al Paca’s Dreams.

Create a Migratory Oasis For Monarchs

With a migratory journey of roughly 3,000 miles, it is critical for monarchs to find sustenance along the way. There are a variety of native  perennials that benefit monarchs and provide them with enough nectar resources and energy to make it to their overwintering grounds.

Click here to purchase Joe Pye Weed (Eupatorium maculatum) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Cowpen Daisy (Verbesina encelioides) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Blue Mistflower (Conoclinium Coelestinum) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!
Purchase Smooth Aster (Symphyotrichum laeve) Packet of 25 seeds with FREE Shipping!

Planting these in your garden can make a significant difference in helping these beautiful butterflies complete their incredible journey. Now is the time to plant these native perennials so that monarchs can benefit next fall.

Spicebush Swallowtail, the Master of Deception!

Spicebush swallowtails excel in deception and camouflage throughout their lifecycle. As adults, they employ Batesian mimicry by imitating the pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) . Pipevine swallowtail larvae consume plants with aristolochic acids, which are retained through their life stages, making them unpalatable to predators. By adopting a similar color pattern, spicebush swallowtails confuse potential predators, gaining some protection from being eaten.

But the deception doesn’t end there!

Egg

Females use both visual and chemical cues when finding host plants on which to oviposit her eggs. After landing on a plant, a female confirms the plant as a host plant by drumming the surface of a leaf with her forelegs. She then will lay a single egg on the undersides of leaves of host plants to keep them hidden from wasps and other predators. Eggs are spherical and greenish-white or white in color and transparent.

While the spicebush (Lindera benzoin) plant is the primary host plant for the spicebush swallowtail caterpillars, they can also feed on a few other plant species including sassafras (Sassafras albidum), camphor (Camphora officinarum), redbay (Persea borbonia) and perhaps prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanum), tulip tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), and sweetbay (Magnolia virginiana).

Caterpillar

All five instars of the spicebush swallowtail caterpillar is marked by visual deception and hiding from detection. The earlier stages of the caterpillar are camouflaged to look like bird droppings. In later stages caterpillars develop two pairs of false eyespots on their body, which are believed to be a mimicry of either green snakes or tree frogs.

Early instar caterpillars look like bird droppings.
As the caterpillar grows, it turns green with large, false eyespots that make it look like a small snake, providing further protection from predators.

Spicebush Swallowtail larvae are leaf-rollers. They create shelters for by first cutting and pulling small sections of leaves around themselves to hide from predators. As they grow larger, they wrap up in entire leaves, and fifth-instar caterpillars may even stitch several leaves together. The caterpillar then hides in the shelter during the day and emerges at night to eat. This simple way of rolling a leaf as a shelter is one of the amazing ways that they’ve adapted for survival.

First instar spicebush caterpillars are hidden inside the rolled up leaf.

If their clever camouflage and sheltering tactics fail, they have another defense mechanism. At each larval stage, they possess bright orange, horn-like organs called osmeteria. When disturbed, these organs emerge behind the caterpillar’s head and release an unpleasant odor, helping to repel potential predators.

The caterpillar’s osmeterium further enhances its snake-like appearance.

As the final instar larva prepares for pupation, it dons another cryptic disguise. The caterpillar turns a muted orange-yellow color. It is believed they do this to more closely resemble the leaf litter that it crawls around on when looking for a suitable site in which to anchor itself before forming the chrysalis.

Chrysalis

When the caterpillar is ready to form a chrysalis and pupate, it engages in one final act of mimicry. The chrysalis resembles a curled-up leaf. Caterpillars that pupate early in the season create a green chrysalis to blend in with the predominantly green leaves. However, if they pupate later in the season and will overwinter as pupae, the chrysalis turns brown, mimicking a dead leaf.

Adult

This species displays sexual dimorphism which means that males and females have different coloration. Males have hind wings with a pale green to yellow coloration. Females display a blue iridescent coloration.

Each of the sexes are able to exhibit mimicry of  pipevine swallowtail (Battus philenor) successfully, even though the brighter-blue color on female wings is a little more vibrant than the pipevine swallowtail coloring.

North America’s Largest Butterfly

The Papilio cresphontes, commonly known as the giant swallowtail, is the largest butterfly in North America. The giant swallowtail is widespread across the United States, from southern New England to southern Canada, and southward to Florida and the Caribbean. They are particularly common in the southeastern regions, including Florida.

Females have an average wingspan of about 5.5 inches (14 cm), while males can reach up to 7.4 inches (19 cm)

I find giant swallowtail butterflies incredibly fascinating due to their diverse adaptations to their environment and their unique defense mechanisms at each stage of their lifecycle.

Ventral view of giant swallowtail nectaring on orange blossom.

Egg

Females lay eggs on the tops of the leaves of one of their preferred host plants. This is because the first larval instars are unable to move from plant to plant, so the mother must select an appropriate plant to support them. One egg is lain at a time, as opposed to in clutches.

Egg found on wild lime (Zanthoxylum fagara).

Caterpillar

The larvae, known as “orange dogs,” have a unique defense mechanism. They resemble bird droppings, which helps them avoid predators.

When threatened, the caterpillars can extend a forked, orange-red gland called an osmeterium from behind their heads. This gland emits a foul-smelling chemical to deter predators.

Chrysalis

The chrysalis is mottled brown and green, resembling a twig or leaf to blend in with its surroundings. The giant swallowtail can only overwinter in warmer climates, such as Florida and the deep South, so in colder regions their pupae will enter a state of diapause to survive the freezing winter temperatures.

This giant swallowtail chrysalis is perfectly camouflaged making it difficult for predators to detect.

Adult

Adult giant swallowtails have a distinctive, erratic flight pattern. They often glide and flap their wings in a slow, deliberate manner, which can make them appear larger and more intimidating to potential predators.

Male giant swallowtails sometimes engage in puddling, where they gather on moist ground to extract minerals and salts, which are essential for reproduction.

An eastern tiger swallowtail on the left and a giant swallowtail on the right sipping nutrients from mud.

The female swallowtails use a large variety of host plants to sustain their growing population. They use their antennae to detect the scent of the plants, and then use their feet to determine if it is a correct plant to lay their eggs.

Females use a variety of trees and plants to lay their eggs, including Orange (Citrus sinensis), Wild Lime (Zanthoxylum fagara), Hoptree (Ptelea trifoliata), Hercules Club (Zanthoxylum clava-herculis), Common Rue (Ruta graveolens), and Torchwood (Amyris elemifera ).

The giant swallowtail’s ability to adapt to different habitat and climates allows it to flourish across a wide area. Recently, its range has expanded northward, a change attributed to rising temperatures and absence of September frosts in these new regions. This has enabled larvae to survive before pupating. The immediate effects of this warming, as well as their effect on host plants, can explain the giant swallowtail’s range expansion. (Finkbeiner, Susan D.; Reed, Robert D.; Dirig, Robert; Losey, John E. (2011-07-01). “The Role of Environmental Factors in the Northeastern Range Expansion of Papilio cresphontes Cramer (Papilionidae)”. Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society. 65 (2): 119–125. 

 

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly (Papilio glaucus) is a prevalent and stunning butterfly found in the eastern regions of North America. Its range extends from Ontario down to the Gulf Coast and northern Mexico, east of the Rocky Mountains. These butterflies are active from spring to fall, often soaring above deciduous forests, woodlands, and streams. They are also commonly seen in residential gardens, parks, and orchards.

Characteristics

Tiger Swallowtails boast an impressive wingspan of up to 6 inches (15 cm), ranking them among the largest butterflies in North America. Their hindwings feature long, pointed tail extensions, which give them their characteristic swallowtail appearance.

The color of the eastern tiger swallowtail can vary. Males are yellow or yellow-orange with black tiger stripes. Their wings are bordered in black with yellow spots, and they have black “tiger stripes” running across the top of their wings. Their long black tails have blue patches on them.

Females come in two forms. The yellow form resembles the male but has additional blue shading on the hindwings. The black form is called dimorphic coloration, which adds a level of protection by mimicking the distasteful Pipevine Swallowtail. These females often exhibit a shadow of the “tiger” stripes.

Host and Nectar Plants

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail utilizes a large variety of host plants, mostly trees, such as cottonwood, ash, birch, wild black cherry, tulip tree, sweet bay (magnolia), and willow.Adult Eastern Tiger Swallowtails feed on nectar from flowers. Their long proboscis allows them to access nectar deep within the flowers. They are attracted to a wide variety of flowers, including native milkweeds, phlox, lilac, ironweed, Joe Pye weed, Gayfeather, tall verbena, Mexican sunflowers, pentas, purple coneflowers, and zinnias.

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Behavior

Tiger Swallowtails are solitary, preferring to spend most of their life in the canopy of deciduous trees. Recently hatched larvae spend their days resting in a silken hammock attached to a leaf. At night they will begin feeding on their host plant.

Males will form large groups is when they participate in a behavior called puddling, in which they congregate on mud, damp gravel or puddles. They extract sodium ions and amino acids from these sources which aid in reproduction. Females will occasionally puddle, but do not form congregations. Adults have also been seen feeding on dung, carrion, and urine.

Male Tiger Swallowtail sipping nutrients from feces.

Lifecycle

Egg Stage: Female eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies lay their greenish eggs singly on the upper surface their host plants. Each female can lay up to 250 eggs. The eggs are small, round, and greenish yellow.

Caterpillar Stage: After about a week, the eggs hatch into tiny caterpillars. Initially, the caterpillars are brown and white, resembling bird droppings, which helps protect them from predators. As they grow, they turn bright green with two large, false eyespots on their thorax, which can startle predators.

Like all swallowtails, the caterpillar of Papilio glaucus possesses an osmeterium, an orange, fleshy organ that emits foul-smelling odor repel predators. Normally hidden, the osmeterium is located on the first segment of the thorax and can be everted when the caterpillar feels threatened. The combination of eyespots and osmeterium makes the caterpillar resemble a snake.

Chrysalis Stage: The chrysalises can range from beige to dark brown to green which helps it to blend in the environment and protect it from predators. The larvae that experience the shortening days of late summer will enter diapause after transforming into pupae. The pupae stop developing throughout the winter and wait for increasing day length and warmer temperatures. They produce glycerol and trehalose, which act like antifreeze to protect them from freezing. These pupae emerge as the first eastern swallowtails you see in the spring.

Adult Stage: The adult butterfly has a lifespan of 2 weeks.

Once considered a single butterfly with a vast range, there are four other distinct species of tiger swallowtails:

Western Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio rutulus)

The normal range of the western tiger swallowtail covers much of western North America, from British Columbia to North Dakota in the north to Baja California and New Mexico in the south.

Two-tailed Swallowtail (Papilio multicadata)

The two-tailed swallowtail is found in western North America from British Columbia to Central America. It is the state butterfly of Arizona

Canadian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio canadensis)

The Canadian tiger swallowtail is found in  North America from central Alaska southeast across Canada and the northern Great Lakes states to northern New England.

Appalachian Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio appalachiensis)

The Appalachian tiger swallowtail is a cross between the Eastern tiger swallowtail and the Canadian tiger swallowtail. The butterfly is found in the eastern United States, specifically in the Appalachian Mountains, ranging from Pennsylvania to Georgia.

 

The tiger swallowtail butterfly is not considered to be a threatened or endangered species. However, as with many other butterfly species, their populations may be declining due to habitat loss and other human activities. It is important to protect and preserve their habitats to maintain healthy populations of tiger swallowtail butterflies. Click here to learn how to create a butterfly garden that will attract these majestic butterflies.

Mexican Sunflowers attract tiger swallowtails and many more butterflies. Click here to find seeds.

The eastern tiger swallowtail is the state butterfly of Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and is the state insect of Virginia.