Posts Tagged: Natural Bridges State Park

Not a Good Time to Be a Monarch Caterpillar

Migrating monarchs are fluttering daily into our yard in Vacaville, Calif., one by one, two by two, three by three, and four by four, for a little flight fuel. They're sipping nectar from the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia rotundifolia, and tropical...

A monarch caterpillar munches on tropical milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 27. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch caterpillar munches on tropical milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Friday, Oct. 27. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pacific Northwest monarchs began migrating to their overwintering sites along coastal California in last August and early September. This one touched down on milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Sept. 12. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Pacific Northwest monarchs began migrating to their overwintering sites along coastal California in last August and early September. This one touched down on milkweed in Vacaville, Calif. on Sept. 12. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This was the scene Nov. 14, 2016 at the Natural Bridges State Park's Monarch Grove Butterfly Natural Preserve, Santa Cruz. They were overwintering 80 feet high in a eucalpytus tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

This was the scene Nov. 14, 2016 at the Natural Bridges State Park's Monarch Grove Butterfly Natural Preserve, Santa Cruz. They were overwintering 80 feet high in a eucalpytus tree. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Monarchs: Should They Go or Should They Stay?

So here we are, planning a long-awaited 113-mile trip from Solano County to Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz, to admire and photograph the overwintering monarch butterflies. Then it happened. The three monarchs caterpillars that we'd been rearing...

Marilyn, a butterfly enthusiast from Fairfield, ready to release two monarchs at the Natural Bridges State Park's monarch sanctuary. The butterfly mesh habitat is from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis. The "Got Milkweed" monarch t-shirt is also from the Bohart. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Marilyn, a butterfly enthusiast from Fairfield, ready to release two monarchs at the Natural Bridges State Park's monarch sanctuary. The butterfly mesh habitat is from the Bohart Museum of Entomology, UC Davis. The "Got Milkweed" monarch t-shirt is also from the Bohart. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch, born and bred in Vacaville, lingers before fluttering off to the monarch sanctuary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A male monarch, born and bred in Vacaville, lingers before fluttering off to the monarch sanctuary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch cluster 80 feet high in a eucalyptus tree at the Natural Bridges State Park butterfly sanctuary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch cluster 80 feet high in a eucalyptus tree at the Natural Bridges State Park butterfly sanctuary. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Welcome Back, Monarchs!

It will be a monarch-kind of day.   And why not?   Monarch enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the "Welcome Back Monarchs Day" on Sunday, Oct. 11 at the Natural Bridges State Park, 2531 West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz.  Some 500 monarchs...

A monarch lands on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in Vacaville, Calif. It may head to an overwintering site in Santa Cruz. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

A monarch lands on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia) in Vacaville, Calif. It may head to an overwintering site in Santa Cruz. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch adjusts its position. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch adjusts its position. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch continues to feed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The monarch continues to feed. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The majestic monarch in all its glory. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

The majestic monarch in all its glory. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

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