After stopping at the Pacific Grove Visitors’ Center to pick up a map and suggestions for dinner, we headed north on Lighthouse Avenue to the Monarch Grove Sanctuary. You have probably read about the Monarch butterfly migration. Monarchs from the western states gather at this sanctuary to spend the winter months. In late February they start to head out looking for milkweed. Their progress into the northern states proceeds as the warm weather advances and milkweed starts to bloom further and further north. Milkweed vegetation is a key nutritional requirement in the Monarch’s reproductive cycle.
When we arrived about 4:00 in the afternoon the butterflies were starting to re-settle for the night. We had briefly visited the sanctuary early that morning, but the temperatures were low and the butterflies had not yet warmed up enough to fly. The docent told us that the temperature needs to be at least 55 for the butterflies to be active. Since we were visiting in late February we did not get to see the masses of Monarchs that cover the trees in the grove at peak season. Most of the butterflies had already headed off to milkweed friendly climes.
We were able to witness the courtship and mating rituals of the Monarchs. As explained to us by the docent, multiple male butterflies fly in circles around a flying female. She attempts to outrun them. This allows only the strongest and most persistent male to actually engage in the mating process. The lucky male clasps the female in flight and they flutter uncontrollably to the ground. There the female has a better chance to look the guy over a bit and decide whether he is an acceptable suitor. If not, she refuses to mate and the male eventually gives up and flies off hoping to find a more receptive partner.
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- Female Monarch assessing the manliness of her suitor.
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- Yet another view of female Monarch assessing the manliness of her suitor.
If the female finds the male to be the equivalent of a butterfly hunk, she submits. The male must then undergo one more test of his manhood. He must carry her to the treetops where the actual coupling takes place. In effect he is carrying twice his weight several hundred feet straight up – a true marvel of aerodynamic stamina. If he is unable to do so, both butterflies flutter off yet again searching for true love. I guess Monarchs have yet to discover he simplicity of e-Harmony.com.
Betty managed to get a brief video of a butterfly couple on the ground. From the looks of it, the female might not have been overly impressed with her suitor. Or the male may not have had the oomph to lift her to the heavenly bliss. We didn’t stay around to witness the final outcome. The short video alone seems a bit indiscreet to me. But that’s on Betty!
Monarch Madness
That video didn’t work for some reason… I hear the audio but see nothing.
OK, I think I’ve fixed it. Thanks for the feedback. Now if I can just figure out the random fonts in the various posts I’ll be closer to “real” blogging.