MONARCH BUTTERFLIES ARE TOUGH LITTLE BUGGERS. As fragile as these ephemeral orange and black insects appear, they are nearly indestructible. Lucky for them and lucky for us. Monarchs have four generations every year, each involved in a continuing migration. The young never meet their parents but, never-the-less, carry on toward their pre-ordained destination. In this case, it is Pismo Beach, California.
Baby, it's cold outside
The monarch’s year begins in the spring when the eggs hatch on the milkweed plants on which they have been laid. Generation One does butterfly-type things, feeding on flowers and lays its eggs before dying in six weeks or so. Likewise Generations Two and Three. Generation Four monarchs hatch in autumn. Those from the eastern US and Canada head south for the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico while those from the northwest like ours, fly down the California coast.
Generation Four monarchs do not die after six weeks but live for six to eight months, clustering on eucalyptus trees or conifers once they have reached their ancestral wintering spots.
When the sun shines bright
When it is cold, like it was when we saw the monarchs in Michoacán, the butterflies are massed together for warmth with their wings tightly folded. As the sun warms them, they spread their wings and fly about, sparkling orange.
