The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove counted 471 butterflies this migration season. It is the second-lowest Western monarch population count in this location’s history, according to the Central Coast State Parks Association.
These butterflies migrate to the Central Coast for the winter and stay from October to February. With the 2025-26 butterfly season officially over, visitor Hans Gritsch said he’s disappointed but not surprised by the decline.
“There's urban sprawl and we're paving things over," Gritsch said. "The habitat for many creatures is declining. We have to respect the boundaries, if you will.”
The numbers in Pismo Beach are following the same pattern throughout the state. According to the Xerces Society, this year is the third-lowest tally since 1997 across California. In Pismo Beach, the numbers have gone from tens of thousands to hundreds over the last three years. Since the beginning of 2026, only around 150 butterflies have been counted.
JP Carino brought his family out to visit during spring break. He said the number is surprising, but he’s trying to stay positive.
“It sounds like it was... not a lot of butterflies this year, which is kind of sad to hear about, but I'm always optimistic, so we'll see what happens,” Carino said.
In an interview with KSBY News in December, local expert and Cal Poly professor Francis Villablanca said the reason for the decline is still unknown. Many factors, like climate change, pesticides and urban expansion, may all be contributing to the decline.
WATCH: Why are there fewer monarch butterflies on the Central Coast?
Villablanca said that, contrary to popular belief, planting milkweed from a store could do more harm to the butterflies than good. He said pesticides on the milkweed could harm the butterflies after they eat the plant.
To help the butterflies, the Xerces Society recommends advocating for overwintering sites, like the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove. They also recommend avoiding pesticides and the Xerces Society offers pollinator habitat kits.
Carino said he wants to do whatever he can to help. He said he brought his children to the grove to teach them a life lesson about the importance of looking out for the planet.
“I do believe everybody has a part to play on the planet to take care of it," he said. "I always try to instill to my kids, leave wherever you're going in a better condition than when you found it. I think we all have a responsibility to love our Mother Earth. We only got one, so we should take care of it.”
