Missing the Migrating Monarchs
Many years ago I remember seeing thousands of butterflies, practically dripping off of trees. I have never forgotten this sight and have awaited the opportunity to show my kids. Monarchs flock to the California coast beginning in October, then mate and leave for their spring migration by February. This year I planned to find them again, and take the kids, who are still enchanted by beautiful butterflies. By mid-November, I thought, there should be both good weather and an outstanding show.
The first place I think of for butterfly spotting is the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary in Pacific Grove, California. I had plans to visit my friend who lives near there, and go with her and her two kids who, remarkably, had never seen this phenomenon even though they live so close. We arrived at what turned out to be a small grove of trees, with hardly any butterflies in sight. A docent remarked that since it was cold the previous night, many of the butterflies were hiding on the sunny side of the trees, which was not where we were standing. The path was short and nothing like I had remembered from the visit of my past. We did, however, find a family of deer resting among the trees, so at least the trip wasn’t completely void of interesting creatures.
Perhaps, I thought, I had visited the Natural Bridges Preserve in Santa Cruz. Determined not to lose the opportunity of seeing flocking monarchs, I took the kids to Santa Cruz a few days later to see these darned enchanting butterflies. Here was the location I remembered from my past. There were certainly more here than the few we saw in Pacific Grove, but it hardly met the impression I had in my mind. Natural Bridges bosts home to over 100,000 monarchs at its height of the migration.
In my butterfly search, I have learned quite a lot about these monarchs. For example, it will take 1,800 miles and four generations before they return to where they started. The first generation begins their migration in wintering locations along the California coastal areas as well as Mexico. There, they cluster in eucalyptus groves along the coast, mating in late January and leaving for spring migration by March. The monarchs lay their eggs inland on milkweed plants in the Sierra Nevada foothills and then die. The second generation hatches and flies across the mountains into Oregon, Nevada or Arizona. Third and fourth Monarch butterfly generations fan out even further and then they return to California coast, to the place where their great great grandparents started. How in the world they find the same place is still a mystery.
There is concern for this incredible migration. Forests in Mexico where the monarchs winter are being cut down. The milkweed on which they feast and lay their eggs are often removed (as it is a weed) or pesticides used on the plant poison the butterfly. I am hopeful that we merely did not come late enough in the season to see all of these incredible butterflies flock in the trees rather than that their numbers are rapidly declining. The visitor’s center at Natural Bridges does a great job of educating visitors (and school groups). Also near the visitor’s center is a fenced in patch of milkweed where visitor’s can see the caterpillers or chrysalis close up. Conservation groups such as www.monarchwatch.org are working hard to preserve and educate as well.
If visiting Pacific Grove or Santa Cruz is not in your plans, here are some other locations where butterfly wintering can be seen:
The lead picture is credited to Gene Neiminen, USFWS
Every year from June-September, the Minnesota Zoo has a butterfly exhibit. All different species.
The area is enclosed and heated, with plants and ponds. The butterflies are completely free and they fly around, sometimes landing on you.
It is outstanding. And magical. We are zoo members, so we go all the time until the exhibit closes for the season.