It’s that time of year again when the Western monarch butterflies make their appearance and rest in their new home on the Central Coast for the winter months.
The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is a hotspot to view them. The grove attracts people from all over the state.
Bertha Madrigal-Graves visits the grove every year from San Francisco.
“Every time we come, we come through here to try to see something. We might see one or two, but this is the most we've seen, you know, the butterflies flying around," she said.
The monarch season typically is from October all the way through February.
“I just come for my beach walks and I was here a couple of days ago and noticed the monarchs were returning, so I came to see them," said visitor Linda Blake.
The butterflies migrate away from colder weather and snowfall.
According to the Xerces Society, last year the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove had the third largest monarch grove in California and Arizona with 24,128 butterflies reported at their peak.
“It's so peaceful and they're so colorful and it's just fun to watch them and watch people's reaction to them. It's really fun," Blake added.
The species’ population still needs protection.
Shortly after the Thanksgiving count period ended in 2022, heavy rainfall drenched most of the Central Coast, battering overwintering sites.
According to observers, there were downed tree limbs and even entire trees uprooted.
Conservation biologists say they are encouraging people to get out during the month of October to report what they see as part of an unofficial "Halloween Count."
Closer to Thanksgiving, State Parks staff does a formal count of the monarch butterflies.
