Elizabeth BoatmanIn the dim and long ago past I camped at the Pismo State Beach North Beach Campground. Little did I realize then that the Monarch Butterfly Grove is right next door. Both are located south of town on Highway 1. 
The prime season for visiting the butterfly grove is between November and February when the butterflies are there spending the winter in the tops of the eucalyptus trees. These tiny travelers have come from the Rocky Mountains and can fly about 100 miles a day at altitudes of up to 10,000 feet. I find those numbers almost impossible to comprehend.
The monarchs, so the docent said, come looking for conditions with tall trees, ground water or dew, and few predators. Actually they haven’t many natural predators because they’re toxic to birds. Monarchs eat milkweed and this makes birds very ill. As to why they cluster, some think that it affords protection from the weather. 
There are several sanctuaries located along the California coast, in Pacific Grove and Morro Bay for example. It just takes the right combination of conditions and the monarchs return each year. Of course it isn’t the same monarchs. The life span of the Pismo monarch butterfly is about six months. They have time to get here and mate and then the return journey takes place in the spring. A new generation will return to the California coast next autumn.
The trees are very tall but the Pismo Grove has telescopes set up so that one can get a good look.
There are warning signs on the telescopes stating not to adjust them. Just stand in front of it and look. It’s amazing how many butterflies can cluster on a branch! But they aren’t just in the trees. You can see them darting around through the air and be careful where you step! They tend to land just anywhere.
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