Santa Cruz Monarchs

Living on the Monterey Bay has its rewards. As each year passes we watch the birds and other assorted wildlife call this beautiful place home or migrate through in the fall and spring. We look forward to fall especially – the bird migration is always a spectacular sight, followed by the arrival of the Monarch butterflies. We usually wait until after Thanksgiving, then wait again for a sunny day to make our way to one of the many overwintering grounds in the area.

It seems that ever since moving to the Santa Cruz area (over 10 years ago) the butterflies have been fewer and fewer every year. In years past, we’ve seen Natural Bridges State Park in all its splendor – butterflies filling every visible limb and filling the sky with fluttering wings – leaving us awe struck and amazed. But recently we seem to say, “Maybe they just went somewhere else this year…” And go to check another spot.

A few years ago we started going to Lighthouse Field and were pleasantly surprised to see that there were quite a few that had overwintered there. As we approach the Monarch overwintering grounds we stop talking at the first sight of these beautiful flyers and pause for a moment to watch bright orange wings bound high into the powder blue sky then glide on soft breezes to rest on Eucalyptus, Cypress or Pine. We continue on the path and as we get closer, we are hopeful that there will be more than last year.

Sometimes its an incredible sight- orange confetti flickering in the sun, large fronds loaded with thousands of wings that sway in the wind. And sometimes its not at all what we expected, like this year. We saw small groupings clustered together on scattered branches and several others fluttering about in the warm sun. When few show, its hard not to worry about them and link it to other problems our planet is enduring.

My entire life, I have heard of trees and flowers, birds and insects that used to be. Old timers bragging about Poppies on ridges or birds that once swarmed the skies. I can’t help but feel I’m witnessing my own “used to be” moment and fear that someday I will tell my daughter or her children how beautiful Monarchs once came here in the winters, but now they are gone.

Its a miracle the monarchs are here at all. The monarchs we see are in fact the great-great grandchildren of the monarchs that overwintered here last year. Its an incredible genetic miracle that plays out year after year. The female who left here last February started out on a Northern journey that would take several generations to complete – a relay race spanning 4 generations. The final offspring then emerges from its chrysalid with the energy to make its way south, back to same overwintering grounds as their ancestors. And east of the Rockies, the same relay race is taking place, but the finish line is all the way to Michoacan, Mexico – a journey I hope to make as well someday.

These little flyers epitomize hope and a visit in the new year is just the ticket to renew your spirit. Get out there and see them while before they fly the coop.

For more images of Monarchs and our Monterey Bay Area see our gallery pages.

– LZ