Chrysalis: A Butterfly story
Every year, Monarch butterflies float their migration of
hundreds of miles down to temperate wintering places in California and Mexico.
From November to April, thousands of Monarch butterflies may be seen clustering
like faded leaves. And when the temperature rises, the leaves float and flutter
on the breeze. And areas where the milk weed still grows, they lay their eggs to
form caterpillars that only eat the noxious weed.
 Chrysalis. Not
cocoon. Chrysalis, where as a symbol of change, the caterpillar’s skin melts
away to become the shell in which their flesh transmutes to something new and
strange. Fragile poisonous wings fluttering their gold fairy dust flight.
While there are famous butterfly spots in Santa Cruz and
Monterey, the Bay Area has its own butterfly haunts.
Each Saturday, the
Mulford-Marina Branch
Library branch of the San Leandro library holds walking tours of a
Eucalyptus in a local golf course that attracts the golden travelers.
Karen, Gina and myself went on the 12:30 walk, as guided by
a docent and two high school students. We tasted Eucalyptus nectar (the favored
beverage of Monarchs). Tastes like Eucalyptus flavored honey. We watched
Monarchs flutter on branches and in a sun beam, swirl.
 An
idyllic activity on any of the sunnier winter days. Just keep in mind,
butterflies can’t fly if it’s under 55 degrees.
|
