The Magic of Monarchs

For centuries mystical creatures of all description were gathered into a hidden refuge called Fablehaven to prevent their extinction. The sanctuary survives today as one of the last strongholds of true magic. Enchanting? Absolutely.

So reads the back cover of one of my children’s favorite books, called Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull. The book, tells of two children named Seth and Kendra who go to live with their grandparents that happen to be caretakers at a sanctuary that is a refuge for mystical creatures. When the children walk through the gardens at the sanctuary, numerous butterflies dance through the air, and land upon the flowers in the garden. Unbeknownst to the children, at first anyway, the butterflies are really fairies. The children are delighted by the magic of the grounds and the butterflies (as well as other things they find there.) I thought of this book as I took my two children, who are also a young boy and a girl, to the Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve at Natural Bridges State Beach in Santa Cruz.

Natural Bridges State Beach is famous for its yearly migration of monarch butterflies. At the peak season, thousands of monarch butterflies can be seen in the eucalyptus grove near the beach. We called ahead of time (ph # 831-423-4609), to plan our trip, so we could see all the butterflies in all their glory. We were told by a park ranger that although the monarchs can be seen from mid-October to late January, this year the peak time to visit was around October 23rd through November 7th. We popped over there on the warm Sunday afternoon of October 31st.

I thought it was endearing to read on the park pamphlet, “In 1983 California State Parks established the monarch grove as a natural preserve so that future generations of monarchs—and people—may find sanctuary here.” Entering the grove with “Quiet” signs labeling the path, and butterflies flitting through the air like leaves, I felt like I was in a sacred sanctuary for both butterflies and people. To see nature at its best is an amazing gift to witness. At the end of the path, there was a wooden platform where many people stood (or even laid there) gazing up, transfixed at the flocks of butterflies above.



A ranger was there answering many questions and giving out amazing facts about these beautiful insects. Here are a few things we learned about monarch butterflies:

On chilly days when the temperature drops below 60 degrees, the butterflies cluster together in the eucalyptus trees for warmth. The purpose of this cluster is for survival, and to avoid being dislodged from their companions by the wind and rain. (Below: a shadow of clustered monarchs.)

Monarchs are unable to fly when the temperature is below 55 degrees (13 degrees Celsius), so there are many days when they simply stay put. They live off the fat and water stored in their abdomens. Cooler days require a butterfly to warm up its flight muscles, either be shivering or basking in the sun.

The sheltered grove of eucalyptus trees provides ideal conditions for the monarchs—a temperate climate, safety from the wind, and sources of food and water. The eucalyptus is a winter flowering tree whose nectar provides a convenient source of food.

When the days begin to shorten after the fall equinox, the monarch butterflies throughout the western U.S. begin a journey of up to 2,000 miles to find refuge from winter’s cold. The butterflies find sanctuary along the California and northern Baja coastline. The monarch is the only butterfly that migrates both north and south as the birds do on a regular basis.

The monarch butterflies go through four generations each year. The first three generations hatch from their chrysalis state and live for up to six weeks, but the fourth generation continues to live on for up to six or eight months so that they can migrate to a warmer climate, hibernate, and then start a new first generation in the spring time.

Monarch butterflies are one of the few insects capable of making trans-Atlantic crossings.

These butterflies are poisonous. They won’t harm humans, but the chemicals from the milkweed plant that they eat when they are in the larvae stage builds up inside of them and gives them a poisonous defense against predators like frogs, birds, mice and lizards.

A male monarch has a black spot in the center of each of the hind wings over a vein. The female Monarchs have darker veins on their wings and are often thought to look darker in general.

We were told that monarchs are not yet an endangered species; however their yearly migration is considered an endangered phenomenon. As the years go by, their wintering habitats have been lost due to wildreness that is being cleared for building and development. Also, people are using chemicals to kill milkweed that grows in the wild, so monarchs are losing their food supply. Some scientists also believe that pesticides that are used to kill mosquitoes and moths are also harming and killing monarch caterpillars and adults.


As in the book Fablehaven, this Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve is one of the last hidden refuges for the migrating monarch butterflies. It is there to help prevent their extinction. The sanctuary was truly magical, as we witnessed the beautiful fairy like insects fly among the eucalyptus trees. Nature is so very fragile--life really wouldn't be the same without the magic of butterflies!

For more informaton, go to:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=541