Yesterday was the hubby's birthday, but it was also Sunday. Which in our family, is Family Fun Day (or night. However it works best). We do something fun together since the week is generally too hectic for much family time. Generally we get fast food for dinner, making sure to have dessert of some kind, and rent a movie. Lately we've run out of small boy appropriate movies to rent from red box, and since there is no other movie rental place here anymore, we have been scoping out other options for fun family stuff.
It dawned on me last week, as Gavin was watching a Wild Kratz about Monarch Butterflies, thats its the PERFECT time to head to Pismo to check them out! We are lucky enough to have a eucalyptus grove near by (about 20 minutes driving) that is a butterfly pit stop in their migration route. They are here from about October to February due to our mild winters (it was 72 today) and there are THOUSANDS of them. More or less, depending on the year- but this year this is approximately 15,000 of the orange and black beauties hanging out in the trees.
There are docents who set up shop each October and give talks a couple times a day educating about all things Monarch. They are on hand to answer questions and make sure everyone follows the butterfly rules. There is a little trailer selling various butterfly paraphernalia and collecting donations to keep the program going. They also serve as guards for the butterflies who land in the walk ways while searching for their mate.
Apparently the manly side of these magnificent creatures will just snatch an unsuspecting potential mate out of the air and begin wrestling around with him or her. If it is in fact a him (which apparently happens fairly often) the suitor will let him go. If its a female, they will continue this butterfly necking session for several minutes, ultimately deciding if they like each other enough to procreate. If they do- the male picks up his conquest and flies off into the sunset with her. Well- into the trees anyway. If they aren't a good match- they go their separate ways and he tried again.
As you walk throught the Eucalyptus trees, you start to notice the movement you see isnt necessarily the breeze in the leaves- its the THOUSANDS of butterflies grouped together on the branches. I know its not easy to see- but those darker clumps on the branches are all butterflies.
The trailer I mentioned earlier also has a jar of butterflies they have found deceased in the grove. Its great for the kids, because they can hold them and examine them more closely than the ones flying around. They are so very delicate, but I was impressed when my rough and tough boys were extra gentle with them.
The Monarchs will only lay their eggs on milkweed plants and when they leave Pismo, they head further south to do so. BUT- those smarty pants docents have a few potted milkweeds around to trick a couple of unsuspecting butterflies into leaving their eggs here.
My favorite part about our little field trip was watching all the butterflies flutter from tree to tree. Its hard to capture on camera- but I was able to get this- click on it to make it larger and you can see a handful of Monarchs in flight as well as several bright orange spots in the trees.
One of Gavin's classmates and her parents and little brother went with us to the grove, and as we were walking out, I couldnt help but snap this one.
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