Author: Dom

On September 21, 2021, Friends of the Monarchs presented their recommendations for restoration of the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary to the Beautification and Natural Resources Commission of the City of Pacific Grove. The meeting was held online and was recorded. In the recordings that follow below you can learn the restoration actions that Friends of…

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has published a summary of regulations and recommendations regarding monarch butterflies in various regions of California.  The document covers many topics including regulations governing the handling of monarchs, captive breeding, and recommendations concerning planting of milkweed and other plants to support monarchs. The recommendations were developed in collaboration…

Last year, in August, 2020, a weather station was installed in the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary to assess the microclimate and it’s suitability for overwintering monarchs.  This first report on the first six months of data collected from the weather station were a resounding success.  These data will provide a rational basis for planning future…

This post was authored by Clemencia Macias State of affairs The Monarch Butterfly migration to the PG Sanctuary from October 2020 to March 2021 has been a total catastrophe. Unfortunately, no Monarchs clustered and overwintered at our dear Sanctuary.  Only a few monarchs were spotted in the Sanctuary, a few days only, in the low…

The number of monarchs overwintering throughout coastal California this fall/winter has set new record lows.  The number of monarchs for the annual Thanksgiving count in the Pacific Grove Sanctuary has been particularly dismal: zero.  However, a few monarchs (total 4) have been spotted in recent mid-afternoons by yours truly.  However, the number is way fewer…

Leave the leaves! As the weather (finally) turns colder on the Central Coast we are faced with the annual question: What should we do with all that leaf and stick litter?  If your priority is to protect the habitat for monarchs and other pollinators the answer may surprise you!  Here are some helpful tips courtesy…

The Mexican States of Mexico and Michoacán are home to monarchs overwintering from Eastern North America.  There has been conflict between groups wanting to exploit the forested lands that are the winter home for monarchs and the government and conservationists wanting to protect this critical habitat.  Homero Gomez Gonzalez was a former logger who later…

Follow the link below to a cover story in the Monterey County Weekly about the challenges facing the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary. Monterey County Weekly article, December 5, 2019    

January 27, 2020 Emma Pelton of the Xerces Society released a statement today about the urgent need for action to reverse the loss of critical monarch overwintering sites along the California coast.  The complete article can be found here on the Xerces website: https://xerces.org/blog/vanishing-butterfly-groves-of-california Ms. Pelton emphasizes the vital role that California’s overwintering sites have…

Dr. David G. James of Washington State University gave a presentation on the effects of widespread use of neonicitinoid insecticides (neonics) on monarch butterflies and other invertebrate species at the 2020 Western Monarch Summit, held January 10 – 12, 2020.  Neonics are currently the most widely used pesticides in the world.  Neonics were developed in…