Trees used by Monarch butterflies in California

[Pierre A Plauzoles]

In a previous article, MWalker at gensym.com (Mark Walker) says:

>I have a question regarding the Eucalyptus trees:  I have lived in
>California for most of my 39 years (save for my years in the Navy and my
>years in Vermont), and most if not all of the Eucalyptus trees that I have
>seen exist in very neat little rows (commonly used for wind breaks around
>agricultural fields).  There's even a _grove_ of them resembling an orchard
>just north of Montana de Oro in Los Osos, CA.  Most of the trees are going
>on 100 years old, and are very large.
>
>How much of a problem is this species when it comes to propagating itself?
>I have no data, but it sure seems like the trees stay pretty much where they
>were originally planted.

>> I think I go along with Liz on the Eucalypts.  I'm not against exotic
>> flowers and plant a variety of horticultural varieties for decoration 
>> that are of no apparent use to butterflies, hummingbirds, or me for 
>> that matter.  But it's not clear why Monarchs trump other creatures.  
>> If Pacific Grove loses its Monarch Roosts we can all sympathize. Maybe 
>> Monarchs can be trained to roost on wire lattices.  Or people can go 
>> somewhere else to see them.  Of course, I personally don't care what they
>> plant there, but I would encourage them to consider the principle - 
>> the world has more than enough Eucalyptus.

Both sides have their merits.  As for the groves, as far as I know, they 
were planted back when it was thought the trees could serve as a good 
inexpensive source of utility line poles.  This idea, of course, landed 
flat on its face when the trees turned brittle (which they apparently 
don't do in Australia).  Why?  That I do not know, but the result is 
still that we have huge groves here and there of exotic trees with exotic 
long-horned beetles living in them (and no local predators that I know 
of), and monarch butterflies hanging onto them for dear life.

Long may the monarchs live!  I am not too sure I can say the same about 
the beetles, though....!  :-)
-- 
Pierre Plauzoles   ae779 at lafn.org
Canoga Park, California