Monarch for California in December - Danaus plexippus

Flying vs. Breeding

Although the site at Pacific Grove further north is the most famous, there are at least two overwintering sites in Orange County along the coast. I'm not sure what they do at such sites besides hanging out.

I used to grow a native milkweed that had a dormant period, but I forget whether it was winter or summer. The non-native Blood Flower (Asclepias curassavica) definitely grows year-round, but I don't know how widely-cultivated it is. It would be interesting to see when caterpillars are present.

… Chuck Entz, 4 December, 2006 - 7:52am

Thanks very much

I've just learned of such a site near my house, but within a gated community. Insect guru Bob Allen, who's been hunting butterflies in Orange County for many years, reports they're out and about year-round at CSU Fullerton, where there are plantings of four kinds of milkweeds. There are at least two - Bob planted some, at Fullerton Arboretum, where I'm pretty certain I've seen the flies at every visit.

Overwintering is indicated by batches of butterflies, right? I've not seen any of that in Orange County.

Per your suggestion, I may start logging caterpillars too. I already have several shots, including November and January, and saw a couple early this month (December).

What originally got me interested was an expert from the far north (L.A.) telling a group of us that there weren't Monarch in Orange County at the time of our hike. I told him I'd seen some the day before, then started checking month-by-month.

… Ron Hemberger, 4 December, 2006 - 11:09am

Overwintering In Orange County?

The link Chuck provided mentioned two sites in the county: Huntington Central Park in Huntington Beach and Doheny State Beach in Dana Point. Maintenance people at Huntington report no masses of butterflies "for the past ten years or so". (I saw one Monarch there in late December.

Doheny State Beach had no Monarchs in evidence in late December. The proprietor of the website indicated some other places to look, but indicated the presence of overwintering Monarchs in Orange County to be iffy.

I plan to tour a couple of sites he proposed and will then post again.

(Written later August 27, 2007) I haven't found any evidence of Monarchs overwintering in Orange County. However, they are aloft and breeding here during the winter, where they can be seen at Fullerton Arboretum and Craig Park in Fullerton.

… Ron Hemberger, 25 December, 2006 - 12:09pm