An apology that came too late

The Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are North American butterflies with beautiful patterns of black, orange and white colours on their wings, and most well known for their annual late-summer/autumn migration from the United States and Southern Canada to Mexico, California and the Gulf Coast in the south for the winter months.

The caterpillars of these butterflies feed on the common poisonous milkweed plant, which contains a poisonous toxin that is stored in their bodies, thus making them a distasteful prey for their predators. The adults feed on the nectar of flowers, and are therefore considered efficient pollinators.

Millions of monarch butterflies together as a swarm make the journey to Mexico to roost for the winter. Their overwintering habitat typically provides access to streams, plenty of sunlight (enabling body temperatures that allow flight), and appropriate roosting vegetation, with hardly any predators around.

During the migration, tens of thousands of them inhabit single trees, making for a beautiful sight. This flight is a multigenerational one, as the set of butterflies that finally roost at Mexico each year is the fifth generation of the previous year’s butterflies; a phenomenon which still astonishes scientists.

No single butterfly completes the journey to Mexico and back! The generations of butterflies that emerge during the months of June- July have a short lifespan of 2-6 weeks.

It is the butterflies that emerge during the September-October period that actually make the journey south.

However, climate change, use of pesticides, loss of habitat, especially milkweed plants, and pollution are causing a major threat to the survival of this species.

“Oww”, moaned Rex, as he sheepishly plodded out of the farm gate, his ears drooping, and his tail well between his legs. “Oooohh, I shouldn’t have eaten so much!”

He walked on, unmindful of everything except his stomach ache. “Maybe walking fast might help”, he thought, as he broke out into a trot. But very soon he stopped, clutching his stomach again. “Oh, Rex!” he scolded himself. “What have you done? This is what happens when you get too greedy!”

Rex, the newest addition to the Robinson family, was a smart, but naughty little pup. The Robinsons had a large assortment of pets that included a tabby cat, a parrot, three guinea pigs, a bowl of gold fish and a cow. Comfortably settled in their farm in South Canada near Calgary, the Robinsons led a peaceful life.

Little Rex, being the smallest, and also the cutest, got a lot of attention and was pampered by the entire family. Apart from the food served to him, Rex got to partake of all the tasty scraps that were secretly passed to him under the table by the Robinson children.

That day, Rex had not only eaten his share, but had also stuffed himself with the extras, resulting in a very bad tummy ache. Now he walked around in a daze, trying to get better.

He walked out into the large open fields and flopped down on his stomach, looking miserable. He remembered how an old hound he knew insisted on eating grass whenever he felt sick.

Should he do the same, he wondered. “Ah, well, it’s worth a try!” he sighed, and looked at the greenery around. He was just about to start eating from a grass patch that had sprouted fresh new plants when he heard an urgent voice. “Stop! Don’t eat it!”

Rex looked around. Funny! There was no one around!

He turned his attention back to the patch. But, then, the voice came again!

“Don’t do that! It’s poison! Don’t you know milkweed when you see it?”

Rex was alarmed. Was it really poison?

“Don’t eat that…I’ll tell you what to eat. Take ten steps to your left, and turn right. Eat from the grassy patch there!” the voice instructed.

Surprised, but scared, Rex did as he was told. And wonder of wonders, his tummy started feeling better!

“Who are you?” he called, looking around frantically for his saviour. “Come on out!”

“Right here on this plant beside you!”

“Where?” Rex called, “I still don’t see you!”

“Lift this big leaf in front of you silly!” came the voice again.

Rex slowly lifted the big leaf and looked underneath. Sitting there was a small caterpillar, coloured in green, black and white bands!

“So it was you!” cried Rex in astonishment. “Why didn’t you let me eat from the first grass patch? Were you serious or mocking me about the poison?”

“Of course I was serious!” pouted the caterpillar. “Don’t you know milkweed is harmful to animals like you? Only we can eat it. See? This is a milkweed plant!” He chewed a little bit of the leaf to prove it.

Rex stood staring at the caterpillar and the plant. Most of the leaves on the plant seemed to have been eaten by this tiny, hungry caterpillar!

“How can you eat so much?” he asked in wonder. “I got sick because I ate too much!”

“I need a lot of energy, you see. I need to grow big, and strong, and become a Monarch butterfly… and go on a big journey…” Rex heard only half of what he said. “You’ll become a butterfly? How exciting!” Rex yapped. “I haven’t been able to catch a single butterfly till now!”

“So this is what you’ll do to me for saving your life?” demanded the caterpillar. “You’ll catch me and kill me?”

“Of course not.. I didn’t mean it that way…”, stammered poor Rex, thinking he had started off on the wrong foot with his new friend.

The caterpillar smiled. “Alright, I believe you. Let’s be friends from today, alright? My name’s Billy!”

“I’m Rex!” barked Rex joyfully, and there started an inseparable friendship between the two.

Rex went out everyday to meet his new friend, who was getting bigger and fatter with each passing day. Rex teased Billy for his weight gain, and Billy never forgot to remark how dumb Rex was sometimes. But beneath all the banter, lay a strong bond of friendship.

When Billy became a chrysalis, Rex was down in the dumps. Billy had warned him about it, but had also assured him that he would come out as a beautiful butterfly. Rex went everyday and spoke to him, confident that Billy could hear him from inside his protective case.

And then, one day, the case broke, and out came a beautiful Monarch butterfly, coloured in orange and black, with pretty white spots along its wing borders.

“Ha! Now my friend is a butterfly!” Rex pranced around happily. What made him happier was that now, Billy flew to the farm himself to meet him, and they had a great time together, much to the envy of the other animals.

One day, after Billy had left, the parrot started on Rex. “Your friend’s going to leave you soon”, said the parrot spitefully. “He’s a monarch butterfly after all!”

“What nonsense you talk!” frowned Rex. “He’s my friend. He’d never leave me! We will be friends for life!”

The parrot gave a screech of laughter. “How innocent you are! No wonder Billy himself calls you dumb!”

“I am NOT dumb!” cried Rex furiously. “And Billy just teases me, he doesn’t mean it. And don’t think you can break up our friendship with your lies!”

“Lies?” cackled the parrot. “Ask your beloved friend himself!”

Rex turned his nose up at the parrot. But he felt uneasy. He made up his mind to ask him the very next day.

Billy, meanwhile, was quite worried himself. It was almost autumn, and he knew that it was time to go on the great journey, the long migration to an unknown land to the south, a journey he was sure he would not be back from.

The other butterflies were excitedly preparing for their life’s adventure, but Billy was upset. There was nothing he could do, for that was the way of the Monarch Butterfly’s life.

He hated the idea of leaving Rex, and more so, dreaded the thought of having to tell Rex about it.

The next day, Billy went to see Rex, praying that he would understand his predicament. But the moment Rex appeared, Billy realized that everything wasn’t right.

“Billy”, said Rex solemnly. “Is it true that you’re going to leave me and go away?”

Someone had told him already! Billy hung his head.

“Billy! Answer me! Aren’t we friends? I know you won’t leave me!” said Rex.

“I’m sorry, Rex”, said the poor butterfly. “I have to go. In a few days time, I’ll have to –”

“No! How can you just go away like that? And.. and… you never told me! You said I’m your friend but you kept this from me.. I’m dumb, just like everyone said! I can’t be friends with you anymore!” Rex howled.

“Rex, wait—! Let me explain. I—”

But Rex wanted to hear no more. His little doggy heart was broken, and his eyes were full of tears. He ran into the cellar, and hid behind a large drum, crying his heart out.

The next few days, Billy waited outside Rex’s home, hoping he would be able to explain to Rex. But Rex refused to come out. At last, it was time to go, and Billy could wait no longer.

Sad that he had been unable to see Rex a last time before he left, he reluctantly joined the other butterflies soaring up into the air as a swarm, beginning his journey to Mexico.

Rex came out hurriedly at the last moment, but Billy had left by then. “But I wanted to tell him I’m sorry!” cried Rex.
“He’s gone”, said the parrot. “You’ll never see him again.”

Rex was not the same after that. He was no longer naughty or playful. He kept hoping that Billy would come back to see him.

Months passed, and it was nearing summer again. As Rex was staring out of the window one day, he saw a flutter of black and orange wings.

“Billy! He’s come back!” Joyfully, Rex bounded out into the fields, hope alight in his eyes, and barking all the way. “Billy!

I knew you would be back! I’m sorry! I will never let go of our friendship!”

The butterfly landed softly on Rex’s paw. But it wasn’t Billy!

“I’m Billy’s grandson, Mr. Rex”, said the butterfly.

“Where’s Billy? Why hasn’t he come? I want to see Billy!” said Rex.

“Grand dad’s been dead a long time, Mr. Rex”, said the butterfly slowly. “No Monarch butterfly survives the long journey to Mexico and back.

All the butterflies who return are the grandchildren… the first two generations die during the journey.”

Rex stared dumbfounded, unable to speak or cry.

“But grand dad passed on a message for you before he died— that no matter how angry you are with him or where he is in this universe, he’ll always be your friend.”

By: Sneha Verghese