Monarch Butterflies

Every year millions of monarch butterflies migrate down from great lakes area to Mexico along the state border of Michoacan and Mexico state to winter and mate. The males die shortly there after and the females fly back to Florida to lay their eggs among the milk weed and then die off. The newly born monarchs will fly to the great lakes area and the migration repeats every year. We hiked up approximately and hour and a half with butterflies swirling all around us. When it warms up in the day, the butterflies come down the hill in search of water (thus the swirling). Then as the day cools off, they return up higher to roost, clumping by the thousands onto trees. They almost look like the leaves or needles themselves. I visited last year too and it still amazes me!