Monarch Butterflies and the Miracle of Migration
Every year, monarch butterflies engage in one of nature’s most extraordinary feats, flying to secluded mountain valleys in Mexico. After wintering there, they begin a perilous journey north, taking three generations to return to Pennsylvania. And in the fall, they start over again. How do they accomplish this remarkable feat? Among the most popular butterflies, the monarch is also among the most endangered, their numbers in a steep decline in recent decades-- for surprising reasons.
Writer-naturalist Mike Weilbacher shares the butterfly's unique story, weaving up-to-date science on the butterfly’s status with folk legend and even Aztec myth. As the lecture coincides with Dia de los Muertos, Mexico’s Day of the Dead, when monarchs have returned to the mountains and form an integral part of the celebrations, Mike will share some of the mythology here. You’ll gain a new appreciation for this king of butterflies, and learn the many ways you can help this amazing creature.
**This program is free and open to all those ages 18+. **
Writer-naturalist Mike Weilbacher is an environmental educator with 40 years of experience teaching through lectures, walks, newspaper essays, theatrical performances, and radio.
His first book, Wild Philly, has just been released by Timber Press, and features 29 nature walks you and your family can take in the Philadelphia region, plus tons of additional information about nature and the environment.
Mike offers lectures, walks, and other programs on nature and the environment, talking about natural topics like monarch butterflies and environmental concerns like climate change. His climate change lecture, “Hotter, Wetter, Weirder,” focuses on the future of Philadelphia’s climate, and is the first lecture to do so. He’s presented both virtually and in person at many community organizations including parks, nature centers, libraries, and schools, plus senior communities, churches, synagogues, and more.
His website, www.mikeweilbacher.com, includes a full listing of his offerings, including lectures and walks.
A former nonprofit executive director, he’s also well-known to public radio listeners as “Mike the All-Natural Science Guy” on the award-winning live children’s radio show “Kid’s Corner” on WXPN, where he has been talking to children about nature and the environment for more than 35 years.
Mike’s work has earned him the title of “Citizen Hero” from The Philadelphia Inquirer and Environmental Educator of the Year and Outstanding Conservation Educator from Pennsylvania environmental groups.
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