"What a lovely butterfly," exclaimed Mrs. Ludwig as she observed out of the kitchen window.
"Hmmm, and another and another and another," counted her eldest daughter as she too became curiously interested in the beautiful butterflies.
Before they could get the next words out, the back door flung open. An excited Russ, Mrs. Ludwig's grandson, came in screaming, "We're being invaded by butterflies!"
Butterflies of every shape, color and flight were surely all over the neighborhood. The Ludwigs had lived in the neighborhood for three generations and had never seen anything like it. Looking in awe and wonderment, some were a little scared, others quite surprised. Everyone -- and we mean everyone --stopped to ask the question:
"Why is this happening?"
Pan into the butterfly world...
The navigation butterfly that is responsible for the coordination sneezes. "I knew that pollen-type couldn't have been safe, how was I to know scientists planted it there? Now let me see where exactly we are..." he continued, pulling out a map.
"Attention Monarchs!" It is the sound of the coordinator over the loudspeaker. "There has been a change of coordination; a storm has come in over the ocean. We will have to hold steady in this position. It could be sooner, it could be later. But to be sure of its direction, it's best to remain here. This could be a few days."
"Oh no, we'll never get to Mexico!" cried Joey, a very anxious blue butterfly.
"That, my boy depends on if this Mexican Mecca exists," tormented Sammy.
"It does exist, you better believe it does!" defended Joey.
"Legend, only legend," mocked Sammy.
"Legend that has been passed on from generation to generation," they both said at the same time. Joey and Sammy were always arguing.
"I know, my parents told me the same story too, and their parents, and their parents too. But how do we know if it's real or if we're just chasing a dream?" questioned Sammy.
"You'll see," touted Joey.
"In the meantime," the loudspeaker continued, "stay close and stay safe."
Now, with her parents away getting acclimated with the area and receiving instructions, this was Bella's time to explore.
Bella was an unusually beautiful butterfly with pastels much lighter than ever seen in a butterfly. She began as any other caterpillar, quite ordinary in fact. Okay -- she was the runt of the litter, much smaller than her siblings, frail-looking and oh so pale. Her color was almost gray, unlike her cohorts who were all a rich shade of black with bright orange spots. Her gray spots gave way to the brightest orange spots that made them almost pink, a true beauty on its own.
However, Bella was different. Most caterpillars were tolerant and understanding; they could truly see her beauty. But there were others who were ugly with jealousy and didn't want to understand her difference. So they perceived her as weak and therefore not good enough to forage in the higher leaves where the nectar of the milkweed was more abundant, if not a little sweeter. As the adage goes, the bitter the nectar, the stronger it makes you.
"Hmmm, and another and another and another," counted her eldest daughter as she too became curiously interested in the beautiful butterflies.
Before they could get the next words out, the back door flung open. An excited Russ, Mrs. Ludwig's grandson, came in screaming, "We're being invaded by butterflies!"
Butterflies of every shape, color and flight were surely all over the neighborhood. The Ludwigs had lived in the neighborhood for three generations and had never seen anything like it. Looking in awe and wonderment, some were a little scared, others quite surprised. Everyone -- and we mean everyone --stopped to ask the question:
"Why is this happening?"
Pan into the butterfly world...
The navigation butterfly that is responsible for the coordination sneezes. "I knew that pollen-type couldn't have been safe, how was I to know scientists planted it there? Now let me see where exactly we are..." he continued, pulling out a map.
"Attention Monarchs!" It is the sound of the coordinator over the loudspeaker. "There has been a change of coordination; a storm has come in over the ocean. We will have to hold steady in this position. It could be sooner, it could be later. But to be sure of its direction, it's best to remain here. This could be a few days."
"Oh no, we'll never get to Mexico!" cried Joey, a very anxious blue butterfly.
"That, my boy depends on if this Mexican Mecca exists," tormented Sammy.
"It does exist, you better believe it does!" defended Joey.
"Legend, only legend," mocked Sammy.
"Legend that has been passed on from generation to generation," they both said at the same time. Joey and Sammy were always arguing.
"I know, my parents told me the same story too, and their parents, and their parents too. But how do we know if it's real or if we're just chasing a dream?" questioned Sammy.
"You'll see," touted Joey.
"In the meantime," the loudspeaker continued, "stay close and stay safe."
Now, with her parents away getting acclimated with the area and receiving instructions, this was Bella's time to explore.
Bella was an unusually beautiful butterfly with pastels much lighter than ever seen in a butterfly. She began as any other caterpillar, quite ordinary in fact. Okay -- she was the runt of the litter, much smaller than her siblings, frail-looking and oh so pale. Her color was almost gray, unlike her cohorts who were all a rich shade of black with bright orange spots. Her gray spots gave way to the brightest orange spots that made them almost pink, a true beauty on its own.
However, Bella was different. Most caterpillars were tolerant and understanding; they could truly see her beauty. But there were others who were ugly with jealousy and didn't want to understand her difference. So they perceived her as weak and therefore not good enough to forage in the higher leaves where the nectar of the milkweed was more abundant, if not a little sweeter. As the adage goes, the bitter the nectar, the stronger it makes you.
