Going Home

       The Monarch begins its life as a caterpillar, deriving its sustenance from a diet of milkweed. The milkweed not only provides nourishment, but also protection. The ingested milkweed causes its body fluids to become noxious tasting and toxic to its natural enemy, the bird. Birds simply will not eat them. When the caterpillar goes through its metamorphosis, the taste and toxicity of the milkweed remains and the Monarch retains milkweed in its diet. Should an unwary bird attack a Monarch they will become educated very quickly and will immediately release it and become programmed to avoid the Monarch in the future.

       Another butterfly, the Viceroy, is also avoided by birds. Naturalist tell us the Viceroy is perfectly edible, but their striking similarity to the Monarch causes the birds to avoid them as well.

       This time of the year in early fall the Monarch senses a call. When you are out and about watch and you will notice occasional flecks of orange and black against the backdrop of the sky. As you first notice the Monarch he may seem to be aimless in his flight. But continued observation will reveal his direction of flight to be southwest toward home. No Viceroys are to be observed making this trip. Though their mimicking ways have given them a measure of security and protection they do not sense the call to come home. Soon the Monarchs will all be gone. The Viceroy will be left behind to face winter’s cold killing blast. You see, in the final analysis, it what’s on the inside that counts. Are you a Monarch? Will you sense the call… the call to come home?

　

Richard L. Grimes

(ã 2005 God Ain’t What He’s Cracked Up To Be… RLG)