where are all the Monarchs?

Paul Cherubini paulcher at concentric.net
Fri Dec 4 07:38:55 EST 1998


Mark Walker wrote:

>
> I was up in Cambria, CA over the US Thanksgiving weekend holiday (a
> favorite Monarch overwintering spot), and I did see a considerable number of
> Monarchs flying about when the weather was favorable.  The area can become
> inundated at times, but that is not an annual phenomenon.

A big overwintering colony sometimes forms in Cambria along a small
ridge just west (towards to ocean) of Kathryn Drive.  Another big site
in the pine forests around Cambria is technically in San Simeon State
Park, a few miles north of the town of Cambria.  To get to this site you
drive north on coast hwy #1 for a few miles beyond Cambria and turn into
the parking lot of a restaurant called the Hamlet.  Park at the north
end of the parking lot.  You'll see hiking trails that lead up the
nearby hill (to the east) that is covered with Monterey Pines. Hike up
about half a mile and near the summit of the hill there is a very
reliable colony of about 30,000 monarchs in a very printine like
setting.

Paul Cherubini, El Dorado, California


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