The Monarchs

Not far from our condo unit is a very special place. It is grove of eucalyptus trees that provide shelter for wintering Monarch butterflies. To get there we only have to cross the street and take a ten minute walk to reach this amazing place. 

The beginning of the path, just off the roadside, is a little rubbish strewn but it soon gets better.

In this early morning picture the sun is still low, leaving long shadows in the woodlands. The ground cover is made up of nasturtiums. My own experience with them is that they usually die off after the first frost meaning for them to be a thriving naturalized ground cover in this area, frost is really rare.

Getting close.

The Gateway.

This is it!

The Monarchs seek shelter in the trees flanking this ravine.

Another look at the ravine from a path that runs alongside it.

At first glance this might look like a clump of dried leaves, but look closer.

Monarch butterflies.

Some of the clumps can be quite huge.

As the day warms many take flight.

Some just hang out in the sun.

By mid-February the Monarchs in this grove will begin making their way up the coast west of the Rockies. The Monarchs that populate the country east of the Rockies winter over in Mexico, Florida, and even Cuba. Estimates of how many Monarchs winter over in this grove range from 50,000 to 200,000. The populations wintering over in Mexico are estimated to be in the millions. Hope you enjoyed this.