Monarch Grove Sanctuary

Monarch Gove Sanctuary is located in Pacific Grove Monterey Peninsula, California. They have more than 25,000 monarch butterflies that come to this area every winter in order to survive. Each October the butterflies arrive at the grove, cluttering in the pine trees and eucalyptus. They migrate from the Pacific Northwest. Local residents sought to protect these butterflies by keeping the grove a national sanctuary. Residents often donate to the grove in order to help keep them protected.

The sanctuary can be reached by traveling on Ridge Road between Lighthouse Avenue and Short Street. It is unknown where some of the butterflies come from other than the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Since butterflies need warmer temperatures it is assumed they migrate in order to keep their species alive. Some fly from the east in the Rocky Mountains to California. They can fly as much as 2,000 miles a day, 10,000 feet above the ground. The habitat is fog shrouded, which is one reason scientists suspect these particular butterflies tend to return to the area. Well, at least their off spring come back. A monarch's life cycle is rather short, thus the parents fly south and their offspring go north for a short time.