There are Monarch butterflies in our garden at the moment, frantically fueling up for their migration north for the winter. While not undertaking the epic four generation migration of their North American cousins, these butterflies in Australia are not compelled by freezing temperatures to overwinter in the tropics, they do however appear to seek the warmer temperatures of Queensland when temperatures drop. Curiously Monarchs were not seen, or rather noted, by Europeans until sightings in Brisbane in the 1870's when it was thought they had been blown here from Vanuatu during a cyclone (thank you Wikipedia).
Apart from their beauty, the distances they travel, propelled by a heart the size of a dot on the page inspires me to wonder at the world and it's creatures and the amazing variety in it.
Apart from their beauty, the distances they travel, propelled by a heart the size of a dot on the page inspires me to wonder at the world and it's creatures and the amazing variety in it.
