Comments on: On TV: The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies

By: Sharon McCullough

Sharon McCullough — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 17:42:19 +0000

I did not go back an listen to the video again, but I think the 4 part cycle was referring to the complete metamorphic life cycle of egg, larva, pupa, adult that the butterfly goes through. And then the fact that it is the 3rd or 4th generation that returns to Mexico in November and not the adult that left the previous March.

By: Shirley Weismann

Shirley Weismann — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 14:35:09 +0000

I raise and release Monarchs and am registered as a Monarch Waystation. I saw the Incredible Journey of the Buttterflies and I have a question.
Do the Monarchs that hatch in Sept. here in Illinois join the migration to Mexico? I saw them gathering and take off but I couldn’t tell which way they went.

By: Julia Burgen

Julia Burgen — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:55:42 +0000

The Nova program was beautiful. I am so grateful that it ran and I emailed over 100 people to tell them about the show. I just hope there is a sequel as the importance of plant/habitat preservation in the U.S. is critical. Weeds have a bad name, hence milkweed doesn’t sound like something the neatniks will ever think of planting much less preserving. I wished for more info on what individuals and family units can do. I would love to have seen some of the mass resting places that I have read about on the Journey North logs, as in Oklahoma, near West Texas; and then emphasis on the Monarch Watch website and activities and the Journey North project. I find the Journey North tracking system to be fascinating and a wonderful educational tool. I would love to have seen pictures of students in schools in the U.S. that are involved in this as a means to inspire some more schools and teachers. The tremendous opportunity for cross-cultural activities with both languages is ripe for establishment in school systems. I am sure that it is happening in smaller schools, private schools and any innovative, creative public schools. But I fear the inertia in most public schools is almost insurmountable.

The precarious plight of this magnificent species needs the active effort of thousands of people.

By: Jim Hawley

Jim Hawley — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 18:19:10 +0000

Watched the program on Nova. Was curious about an apparent contradiction in the description of the generational migration cycle. It is stated that it is a four generation cycle, but then the program describes a cycle that only includes three generations
1. ( Canada-Mexico-Texas)
2. ( Texas – upper midwest )
3. ( upprt midwest – Canada )
Then the cycle repeats.
Whether it is three or four generations to the cycle, it is still an amazing story. I’m just curious as to which is the correct number of generations. The program referred several times to the “special fourth generation” when it seems that the long-lived long-migration group occurs every third generation.

By: Dick Heil

Dick Heil — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:34:03 +0000

This was a beautiful program. The loss of habitat in Mexico was documented but not the loss of habitat in the United States and Canada. The importance of milkweed was never mentioned. P. S. Dr. Taylor, you did a fine job with no evidence of painkillers hindering your performance.

By: Dottie Carter

Dottie Carter — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:22:58 +0000

Sally – according to the opening credits, Stockard Channing was the narrator…………The program was amazing!

By: SALLY w. wILLET

SALLY w. wILLET — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 02:27:55 +0000

iS THAT dIANE sAWYER NARRATING ” tHE iNCREDIBLE jOURNEY OF THEbUTTERFLIES”?

By: Sharon McCullough

Sharon McCullough — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:01:15 +0000

I am currrently reading 4 Wings and a Prayer. I am looking forward to viewing this program. I will be going to Michoacan next month for a 2nd time to visit 3 Monarch overwintering preserves. While I am in Mexico my 7th grade students will be able to view this video. We have been participating in tagging and OE parasite sampling for UGA. My students also participate in the Journey North symbolic migration. Monarchs and other butterflies are an important part of our life science classes.

By: Juanita B. Estrada

Juanita B. Estrada — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 07:33:31 +0000

I’ve studied Monarchs for 12 years already. I’ve followed their migration with my students every year through an academic exchange program with Mexican schools called “Vida en Movimiento” (Life in movement). I’ve been in the sanctuaries, “El Rosario” and “Sierra Chincua”, and no matter how many times I witness this spectacle, it is always like the first time. It is an incredible phenomenon!!!

By: Brooke

Brooke — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 04:29:32 +0000

Thank you so much for alerting us to this program. As the retired director of The Native Plant Center at Westchester Community College, I have tried to connect the survival of Monarchs to the native milkweeds – it’s one of the best ways to get people to see the importance of preserving native plants. And, on my own, inspired by a local woman who raises and releases Monarchs, I find and raise my own and release into the wild each year. I don’t tag, due to the difficulty affixing the tags (I’m such a wimp) but may get the courage to do so this year.

By: Yvonne Coil

Yvonne Coil — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 21:36:11 +0000

I raise Monarch’s in my flower garden.I have 5 butterfly bushesBut I have a lot of milkweed also.I’m interested in different kinds of milkweed.
I raise Monarchs & tag them every year.I never hear from you if they make it to Mexico,and are found or not.Butterflies are so wonderful.
I have a Monarch Way Station Watch Sign in my yard.Yvonne

By: Tom Yearsley

Tom Yearsley — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:58:52 +0000

It will be interesting to see how the edits came out, I was there that day after the rains, with my 2 children (then 9 and 6 years old)….the crew filmed them extensively as we tried fruitlessly to find monarchs in the wetlands. It was a tough day of hunting.