Return of the Monarch Butterflies to Santa Cruz, Pismo Beach, Pacific Grove
If you’re a Monarch butterfly fan, now’s your time to take flight and see California’s great butterfly places. From Santa Cruz Natural Bridges State Beach where tours are given, to Pacific Grove, which recently held a Butterfly Parade, to Pismo Beach where you can see thousands of them near the beach, the orange and black creatures are dressed in colors that would make any Halloween costume designer green with envy.
Monarch butterflies return to California on their southward migration every October and at Natural Bridges in Santa Cruz they throw a party each year to welcome them. This year the event is held on Sunday, October 14, 2012, 10 a.m. -4 -.m. (parks.ca.gov) . Docent-led walks at the Monarch Grove from October through January twice daily on Saturdays and Sundays offer visitors an opportunity to not only see but learn about these graceful winged creatures, their lifespan, migration and even what they eat!
SEE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES IN CALIFORNIA
- SANTA CRUZ Natural Bridges State Beach tours are held each weekend through Monarch season, parks.ca.gov
- PISMO BEACH – 23,000 Monarchs were counted in 2011. Each year thousands of people flock to see Pismo Beach Monarch migrations. The butterflies seek shelter from the freezing northern winters between late October and February at Pismo State Beach. The grove is located on State Highway 1 at the south boundary of the city limits of Pismo Beach. monarchbutterfly.org
- PACIFIC GROVE – Pacific Grove “Butterfly Town U.S.A.” is no stranger to Monarchs. Many can remember a time when the groves hung thick with these beautiful, bright orange insects. Improper pruning of trees and other conditions caused the butterflies to nearly disappear. Efforts to re-grow the wintering population are paying off. See for yourself at Monarch Grove Sanctuary, 1073 Lighthouse Avenue. The best time to see butterflies at the city-owned park is Noon to 3 p.m. when the sun shines brightest on the trees and a docent is on duty. The city pays homage to butterflies with signage, a statue, and an annual parade.
- HUNTINGTON BEACH Gibbs Park – Once a popular place for Monarch butterflies, the eucalyptus groves were mostly destroyed by beetles. An effort by “Butterfly Lady” Leslie Gilson to bring the Monarchs back is showing some progress. Though seeing Monarchs isn’t guaranteed, you will see tile murals and a butterfly sculpture paying homage to the park’s glory days.
