28th Annual Symbolic Monarch Migration to Mexico with Bee City USA – Hendersonville

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 28^th 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 located within the City of Hendersonville and/or 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, October 20, 2023 (95 Upper Red Oak Trail, Hendersonville 28792).  For more details visit  www.bullingtongardens.org/symbolic-monarch-migration.