Pismo Beach, California
Monarch Day
No expense spared to herald Monarch Day
Europe has its crowned heads, and North America has is own monarchs – the Monarch butterfly. Probably the most recognizable butterfly in North America (or at least a close tie with the yellow and black tiger swallowtail), the Monarch’s reign ranges from the southernmost parts of Canada in the summer to Mexico. Unlike other American butterflies that can survive the cold weather, the Monarch migrates south to Mexico and in the west congregates north through California along the coast. One particular vacation paradise for the Monarchs is the Pismo Beach Monarch Grove, located in a thick stand of eucalyptus at the south end of the North Beach Campground. The Monarchs begin arriving in October, and the height of their population is at the beginning of February, prompting February 5th to be declared Monarch Day by the California State Legislature (California Western Monarch Day Bill/SCR 66).
Tens of thousands of butterflies cover the trees
Although the Monarchs can be seen in the grove throughout the winter, Monarch Day is somewhat of a celebration at the grove, if only on a small scale. The event gets news coverage, and several activities are planned (usually targeted at the youngins), but it also draws naturalists, photographers and others who want to see the mass clusters of the beautiful winged creatures at their peak. Towards the end of February, the Monarchs begin heading north in search of their trippy food of choice, milkweed. The milkweed and Monarch butterfly have a unique relationship – the toxic plant is avoided by other fauna and flutterers, but actually provides a defense mechanism for the Monarch since the toxin stays in their bodies and makes them an unattractive meal to birds (much like the McRib sandwich).
A male and female Monarch do the wild thing
If Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” made you nervous, you may want to stay near the entrance to the grove, as they will land on you and any other semi-solid object they can find. If this disturbs you, resist the urge to snuff out its fragile little existence as it is highly discouraged and since they are a protected species, getting booted out of the grove may be the least of your worries. It requires a conscious effort to avoid trampling them, but if being surrounded by an orange and black-winged cloud of feather light pilots sounds like your idea of fun, it is well worth it. The City of Pismo Beach goes all out, decorating their “World’s Largest Clam” (at a modest 7 or so feet tall) with the Monarch butterfly’s signature black and orange striped pattern. The city actually has two “World’s Largest Clams”, one at the entrance to the city and the other next to the Chamber of Commerce, a Trippy Food trippy destination on its own. Pack up the family and make a day of it, checking out downtown and the pier, the beach and the dunes but a word of advice if you bring the kids – you may have to tell little Timmy that the butterflies aren’t fighting. How you explain the insect love-fest is up to you.
Largest clam dressed up for Monarch Day
Pismo Beach Monarch Grove
State of California, North Beach Campground
Highway 1
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
GPS coordinates: 35°7’44.13″N 120°37’57.70″W
See more images of the Pismo Beach Monarch Grove on Monarch Day
I LOVE them! Wish I lived closer. The butterfly is a rare find around here.
I suppose it is drab in the northeast during winter, but think how much more wonderful spring is when the birds, butterflies and flowers come back. I always loved when the forsythia was the first thing to bloom at the end of March. They don’t grow out here…
I remember going to butterfly houses in San Fran when I was a kid they were fun. Take that sentence to mean whatever you would like.