The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies

Many of us have at least a rudimentary knowledge of the marvelous lifecycle of the Monarch butterfly, but few have witnessed the marvelous details displayed in this exceptional NOVA episode. Directed by Nick de Pencier and gracefully narrated by Stockard Channing, The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies (based on the book Four Wings and a Prayer by Sue Halpern) follows the astonishing annual 2,000-mile migration of 100 million Monarch butterflies from as far north as Winnipeg, Canada, to a relatively tiny forest area in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. Although scientists continue to explore possible explanations for this amazing feat of insect navigation (with theories related to patterns in Earth's magnetic field, specific angles of sunlight, and genetic factors in the butterflies themselves), the Monarch migration remains—for the most part—a true mystery of nature. Both a picturesque travelogue and a breathtaking feast of macro-cinematography (especially on Blu-ray), the documentary features extreme close-up footage of the Monarch's stunning transformation from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly, informative testimony (mostly from Monarch migration experts Lincoln Brower, Bill Calvert, and Orley “Chip” Taylor), and amazing “in flight” footage shot in the midst of hundreds of thousands of butterflies. The final stages of the Monarch lifecycle are equally fascinating, with five months of near-complete dormancy in Mexico followed by mating, the birth of a new generation, and northward migration (in a four-generation cycle of mating, birth, and instinctual travel, before the entire cycle starts all over again in Canada and the northeastern United States!). Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Shannon)