주황빛 날개의 여행

A Tiny Traveler

A monarch butterfly is smaller than the palm of your hand. Its bright orange wings are marked with black lines and small white dots. This delicate insect weighs less than a single paper clip. Yet every autumn, millions of monarchs set off on one of nature's longest journeys. They travel from Canada and the northern United States all the way to Mexico. The whole trip can stretch nearly three thousand miles across the continent.

The Great Journey South

When the days grow shorter and the air turns cold, the monarchs know it is time to leave. No parent teaches them the route, yet they still fly in the right direction. They ride warm air currents high into the sky to save their precious energy. Along the way, they stop to drink sweet nectar from wildflowers. This natural fuel keeps their fragile wings beating for many weeks. Storms, hungry birds, and busy highways make the long trip very dangerous. Still, the tiny travelers press on, day after day, toward the south.