Coastal Monarch Migration

Published on January 15, 2022
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Monarch Butterfly Migration

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The endangered Monarch butterflies have arrived back in Huntington Beach for their annual overwintering.

The butterflies swarm to Central Park in Huntington Beach every year to rest on the eucalyptus trees as they wait for Spring to arrive. There are over 300 overwintering sites from Baja to Sonoma County. Monarch Butterflies have recently been taken off the endangered species list after a dramatic increase in 2021. The community of Huntington Beach has made a strong effort to plant milkweed and plants that will attract and nourish the butterfly’s before they continue on their journey up the coast.

Your best chance to see the monarchs is to head to the wooden amphitheater located about a quarter mile northeast of the library building on a sunny afternoon. Have a seat on the top row of amphitheater seating, and relax. Given enough time and the right conditions, you’ll soon notice the fluttering of butterflies along with spots of orange set on the eucalyptus leaves. The monarchs wait for warmer conditions to come to life, so check the sunny areas in the groves and the grassy areas, and ideally wait for the warmer mid-day hours to see the most.