News

Kids invited to learn about monarchs' migration to Mexico

Children in Henderson County are invited to participate in a program exchanging paper butterflies with children in Mexico to celebrate the Monarch Butterfly Migration.

By Lightning Reports, Published: September 7, 2023

From the Hendersonville area, the monarch migration is an epic journey to Mexico covering at least 2,000 miles.

Like clockwork, the first migrating monarchs typically reach their over-wintering habitats high in the mountains of central Mexico by the first of November. To celebrate this amazing feat, more than 10,000 children from across the United States and Canada will participate in the 28th annual Symbolic Monarch Migration by creating paper butterflies to send to Mexico for the winter. Local classrooms, youth organizations, and individual students are invited to join them.

These symbolic butterflies will correspond with the living monarchs’ actual journey south … and as the real-life monarchs arrive in Mexico for the winter, the symbolic butterflies will be delivered to schools in the area of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. Sometime in spring, after the living monarchs’ departure from Mexico, groups of paper butterflies will also return north carrying special messages from the students in Mexico. United by the monarch butterfly, children across North America learn authentic lessons of conservation, cooperation and ambassadorship.
As funding allows, any group (up to 30 participants) of youth in Henderson County may take part in the program at no cost. Individual students who are not part of a registered classroom or group may also participate at no charge by creating a paper butterfly and mailing or delivering it to Bullington Gardens by Friday, Oct. 20 (95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville 28792). For more details visit www.bullingtongardens.org/symbolic-monarch-migration.

Other events scheduled during Monarch Month include:
• Bullington Gardens Fall Plantapallooza Sale, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, and Saturday, Sept. 9, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Hendersonville Farmers Market, 8 .m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, Historic Train Depot, 650 Maple St. See live monarchs in different life cycle stages, make a paper butterfly to send on a journey to Mexico, purchase native milkweeds and other pollinator-friendly plants.

• Best Plants for Your Pollinator Garden, 7-9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 18, Henderson County Extension Center, 100 Jackson Park Road. Monthly meeting of the Henderson County Beekeepers Association is free and open to the public. The presentation will focus on native and locally adopted plants to help support bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, and other pollinations.

• Pollinator Field Day, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23, Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension Center, 455 Research Drive, Mills River. Featuring experts from N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, N.C. Pollinator Conservation Alliance, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service talking about monarchs, bumblebees and planting native habitats.

• 15th Annual Flock to the Rock, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, Chimney Rock State Park. A spot on the NC Birding Trail and a Monarch Waystation, the park is an excellent place to experience live raptor programs, bird and pollinator activities, intro to birding hikes and the annual hawk watch from the Chimney. The events are included with admission to the park of $8/day for youth and $17/day for adults.