Central Coast Butterflies
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Common Buckeye
| California's Central Coast is a Winter Home for the Monarch Butterfly |
From mid-October through February each year, great clouds of Monarch butterflies gather in the eucalyptus
groves of Central California.
At the first sign of winter, the monarch butterfly instinctively knows to fly south to avoid the chilly winters.
Two populations of Monarchs live in the United States. The population living east of the Rocky Mountains
flies south to Mexico while the population west of the Rockies migrates to the coast of Central and Southern
California.
Every fall, the monarch butterfly begins a journey that will take it some 1,800 miles (2,900 km) and through
four generations before they return. The first generation begins their migration by flying to wintering
locations along California's Central Coast.
Taking advantage of Monterey Pines, Monterey Cypress, Redwood and eucalyptus trees for shelter from the
wind, they grasp the foliage with their sharp tarsal claws, forming dense clusters. Hanging like shingles,
each insect overlaps its wings over the butterly below it. This effect protects the insects from rain and
creates warmth for the group. Monarchs are unable to fly in air temperatures below 55 degrees and can't
move at all when it is 45 degrees or lower. Cold temperatures can kill Monarchs. The weight of the butterfly
clusters helps keep the monarchs from dislodging in the wind and dropping to the ground. They mate in
late January. In February, when the temperature begins to rise, the monarchs fly away in search of flower
nectar to eat and milkweed plants
They 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. The third and fourth
monarch butterfly generations fan out even further and then return to California, to the place where their
great great grandparents started. Photo Gallery.
To see Monarchs, visit Pacific Grove Monarch Grove Sanctuary near Monterey, or the monarch butterfly
grove near Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur (pass through the Environmental Campground to Cooper's
Cabin).Or stop by Morro Bay State Park, typically around campsite #116.
groves of Central California.
At the first sign of winter, the monarch butterfly instinctively knows to fly south to avoid the chilly winters.
Two populations of Monarchs live in the United States. The population living east of the Rocky Mountains
flies south to Mexico while the population west of the Rockies migrates to the coast of Central and Southern
California.
Every fall, the monarch butterfly begins a journey that will take it some 1,800 miles (2,900 km) and through
four generations before they return. The first generation begins their migration by flying to wintering
locations along California's Central Coast.
Taking advantage of Monterey Pines, Monterey Cypress, Redwood and eucalyptus trees for shelter from the
wind, they grasp the foliage with their sharp tarsal claws, forming dense clusters. Hanging like shingles,
each insect overlaps its wings over the butterly below it. This effect protects the insects from rain and
creates warmth for the group. Monarchs are unable to fly in air temperatures below 55 degrees and can't
move at all when it is 45 degrees or lower. Cold temperatures can kill Monarchs. The weight of the butterfly
clusters helps keep the monarchs from dislodging in the wind and dropping to the ground. They mate in
late January. In February, when the temperature begins to rise, the monarchs fly away in search of flower
nectar to eat and milkweed plants
They 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. The third and fourth
monarch butterfly generations fan out even further and then return to California, to the place where their
great great grandparents started. Photo Gallery.
To see Monarchs, visit Pacific Grove Monarch Grove Sanctuary near Monterey, or the monarch butterfly
grove near Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur (pass through the Environmental Campground to Cooper's
Cabin).Or stop by Morro Bay State Park, typically around campsite #116.
| In some winters, Monterey County may accommodate as much as 25% of the California monarch population. The Ventana Wildlife Society monitors nine Monarch Butterfly overwintering sites from November to February. The butterfly count each year ranges from 40,000 to 75,000. 9 Overwintering Sites: Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary George Washington Park Point Lobos State Reserve Palo Colorado Canyon Andrew Molera State Park Prewitt Canyon Plaskett Creek Campground Sycamore Canyon Morro Bay State Park |
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| For regional butterfly lists and comprehensive information, visit this excellent site: Moths and Butterflies |
| Photos by Darrell Shurtz |
