Monarch Butterflies (Abridged Story) From an edited original news
story by 3/2/89
One of the last West Coast sites of the Monarch butterfly may soon disappear. Strangely, it is in a town that calls itself Butterfly U.S.A., Pacific Grove, California. Edna Dively wants to build homes on part of a lot that is one of only three nesting sites in the region, and the city is fighting her. (Edna) "Well they want to reestablish the trees over there and make it a butterfly preserve, but they're not interested in buying me out." Monarchs migrate, or travel, hundreds of miles each year returning to the same groves, often to the same trees. One woman says they come here because they want to be in an area with warm weather. If they went to a colder place, they would freeze. They are cold-blooded; their bodies take on the temperature of the air around them. The town of Pacific Grove loves the butterflies. Every year they have a parade and hundreds of children dress up as butterflies. Monarch butterflies are the town mascot. One woman says that the butterflies help the economy in Pacific Grove. Tourism is very important, and many people come to see the butterflies. Th butterflies are good for the town and the economy. Edna Dively, who is also known as the champion of the butterfly for the last 43 years, has been selling off parts of her land as income. A woman says that in 1981 there were so many butterflies it looked like it was raining butterflies. Now there are not so many. The female monarchs need milkweed to lay their eggs; the males will follow the females. The whole colony of monarchs, tens of thousands, cluster on eucalyptus (yoo cuh lip tus) and willow branches near Pacific Grove. As new buildings go up, many trees are cut down. This reduces the habitat for the butterflies. A man said that the building goes on a little bit at a time, and you don't notice it day by day. Over time, you can see that there has been a lot of development. The trees and the butterflies have always been there; it's hard to believe that they could be gone. Millions of monarchs have migrated along the same path for thousands of years. They start their trip in the mountains of Mexico and travel to the middle part of America. If the groves where the butterflies feed and nest are destroyed, the whole species could be lost. There have been monarch butterflies along the coast of California for as long as man can remember, but no one is sure how much longer they will last.
Additional notes: Monarchs from the West of North America winter in California along the coast. Monarchs from the East go all the way to mountains in Mexico for the winter. The butterfly has a short life. They only make the trip one time. The children and great-grandchildren of a butterfly will find their way to the exact winter spot even though they have never been there. No one knows exactly how they find their way. For more information, try these internet sites:
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