Pacific Grove, Butterfly Town USA
N 36° 36.130 W 121° 55.439
10S E 596237 N 4051279
Pacific Grove loves its Monach Butterflies
Waymark Code: WM118Z
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 12/11/2006
Views: 134
Welcome to Butterfly Town USA!
Pacific Grove is famous for its Butterfly Sanctuaries, being one of the few places hosting Monarch Butterflies during their seven generation long migration. North American Monarchs make massive southward migrations from August through October.
Each Monarch generation lives only for a couple of weeks, except for the fourth generation, which lives from August/September until March/April the next year. It takes three generations to reach the winter quarters. The population east of the Rocky Mountains overwinters in the sanctuary in Angangueo, Michoacán, Mexico, and the western population overwinters in various sites in central coastal California, United States, Pacific Grove being the most famous one of them.
A northward migration takes place in the spring and the Grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-grand-grand children of a butterfly that left its northern quarter almost a year before has no problem finding the way back to the family estate.
Pacific Grove embraces its butterflies in Butterfly Sculptures, Butterfly Parks, and an annual Butterfly Parade.