Chasing butterflies: a 16,000 km cycling trip through 3 countries

The cycling tour thatSara Dykmanis on has nothing to do with bicycles, except she happens to be riding one.

The American biologist is following the migration route ofmonarch butterflies. That journey is16,000 kilometres in length and has taken her through three countries.

She is in Sudburytoday.

The self-professed animal lover started in March in Mexico when the butterflies were beginning their journey north into the United States and Canada.

She says she willfollow them until they return back to Mexico, likely arriving there in November.

Although she says she wants to help save the endangered species, Dykman says her bicycle tour, called ButterBike,has a bigger purpose.

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Milkweed for monarchs

"My goal is not to see a monarch everyday, though I have been consistently seeing monarchs everyday for the last few months," says Dykman.

"My goalmore is to see people everyday that are on the route. Every single person I see on my route can be part of the migration and can help by planting milkweed."

Milkweedis the only food source of the monarch caterpillar. Italso provides a habitat for the butterflies.

According to Dykman, the population of monarch butterflieshasdeclined by 90 per cent over the last 20 years, andmuch of that isdue to habitat loss.

'Amazing' to leavebutterflysanctuaryin Mexico

She says one of her favourite moments on the adventure happened at the very beginning.

"In Mexico, when [the monarch butterflies]are all congregated together, there's literally millions and millions just circling and flying and you can hear their wings. On my first day, I biked from the sanctuaries downhill, and they were all streaming out of the mountains. So there was just thousands around me andit was amazing," says Dykman.

"EverytimeI see a monarch I'm just kind of blown away. Not only can they do that navigation, but they can cross roads and they can find milkweed in the middle of a city."

Multi-generational migration

The migration route of the monarch is specialbecause it ismulti-generational, says Dykman.

"The monarch that you all are seeing here in Ontario didn't come from Mexico it was probably more like their great grandparents who were living in Mexico," she says.

"And it will probably be their kids or grandkids that fly back to Mexico."

You can follow Dykmanalong herButterBiketour at beyondabook.org.

She will be at Algonquin Road Public School this morning to speak about her adventure and how students can help protect the environment.

Dykman says she wantskids to realizethat they can play a part in protecting the earth.

"It'll be our chance to keep this going so that the future has a chance to enjoy [monarch butterlfies]as well."