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Monarch butterflies, the large orange-and-black insects,
黑脈金斑蝶——一種大型黑橙相間的昆蟲
are a common summer sight in the northern United States and Canada.
夏季的時候在北美和加拿大十分常見。
They brighten in parks and gardens as they fly among the flowers.
當它們在花叢中翩翩起舞時，整個公園或花園都熠熠生輝。
What makes monarch butterflies particularly interesting is that they migrate,
黑脈金斑蝶有一點特別有趣，那就是它們會遷徙，
all the way to California or Mexico and back.
一直遷徙到加利福尼亞或墨西哥然后返回。
They are thought to be the only insect that does this.
人們認為它們是唯一一種會遷徙的昆蟲。
Every year in the late summer, monarchs begin their migration to the south,
每年的夏季末，黑脈金斑蝶就開始向南遷徙，
those heading for Mexico go first for the Louisiana Mississippi region.
奔赴墨西哥的蝴蝶會先去路易斯安那州的密西西比地區。
Then they fly across to go for Mexico into Texas.
接著它們會飛往墨西哥進入德克薩斯州。
Once in Mexico, they establish themselves in one of about 15 sizes in the mountain forest.
一旦抵達墨西哥，它們會形成15只左右的小群體，在山林里定居。
Each side provides the winter home for millions of monarchs.
每一個地方都為數以百萬計的黑脈金斑蝶提供了一個冬季的避難所。
The butterflies are so numerous that they often cover entire trees.
蝴蝶的數量十分龐大，常常覆蓋樹的整個表面。
When spring comes, they began their long journey north.
當春天來臨時，它們又會開始漫長的向北遷徙之旅。
The question is often asked whether every butterfly makes the round trip journey every year.
經常有人問是否每只蝴蝶每年都這樣遷飛于兩地。
And the answer is no.
答案是否定的。
The average monarch lives about nine months.
黑脈金斑蝶的平均壽命只有9個月。
So when flying north, might lay eggs in Louisiana and die.
所以朝北飛時，它們可能會在路易斯安那州產卵并死亡。
The eggs of that generation may be found in Kentucky,
第二代蝴蝶的卵可能會在肯塔基州出現，
the eggs of the next generation may be in Wisconsin or Michigan.
第三代蝴蝶的卵可能產在威斯康星州或密歇根州。
The last generation of the season about the forth will make the journey back to Mexico and restart the cycle.
而當季最后一代，也就是第四代，它們會返回墨西哥并開始一個新的循環。
Scientists learn about monarch butterflies migration by capturing and placing identifying tags on the insects.
科學家們通過捕捉昆蟲并在它們身上貼上身份標簽的方式研究黑脈金斑蝶的遷徙。
By recapturing a tagged monarch and noting where it came from,
通過重新捕捉貼有標簽的黑脈金斑蝶并標記它們的來源地，
the next scientist can figure out things like the butterfly's age and its routine.
下一位科學家就能推測出蝴蝶的年齡及其遷徙的路線。
