Pacific Grove, CA

When Pacific Grove’s favorite guests come to town, the occasion is more of a homecoming. When the last one departs, a certain joy leaves with them.

This welcome guest is the monarch butterfly, and its return every October to winter in this coastal town in central California ends a journey that preceding generations began in Canada as far as 3,000 miles away. The monarchs will remain in California until February, then leave for the return trip north, laying eggs along the way. With the monarch’s nine-month life span, only the young will return north to the starting place—following the sun or the earth’s magnetic field (two of several theories), continuing the cycle that brings them every October to California.

To celebrate the monarchs’ arrival, the students of Forest Grove and Robert Down Elementary Schools participate in the annual Butterfly Parade, a tradition that began in 1939. Children happily wave to enthusiastic onlookers from inside intricately detailed costumes of butterflies, caterpillars, trees, milkweeds, American Indians, and jellyfish.

Lori Rae Andersen recalled when her son, Robert, now a high school senior, marched in the Butterfly Parade as a kindergartner at Forest Grove (pop. 15,339). “When you think about it, those little children have just started their school careers, and in less than two months they’re marching in a parade with the whole town watching and waving. It’s an incredibly enriching experience for them.”

Great care is taken to protect the monarchs and their habitat. The Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary was established in 1992 on 2.5 acres purchased by the city. Meandering paths and strategically located benches provide optimum viewing of the butterfly clusters high in the Monterey cypress, Monterey pine, and Australian eucalyptus trees. Brought to the area in 1850, the eucalyptus is nature’s deluxe bed and breakfast. With their winter flowering, these fragrant trees provide easily accessible nourishment. Butterflies clustered in the indigenous trees must seek food elsewhere and taking flight can be hazardous. Their delicate wings won’t move in temperatures below 55 degrees. However, if the hungry butterflies should attempt to fly and instead drop to the grove floor, they remain there until either the air temperature rises or the sun energizes them long enough to return to the treetops. The same year the parade originated, an ordinance went into effect stating that disturbing the monarchs was punishable by a $500 fine, which has now been upped to $1,000 and still is strictly enforced.

Ro Vaccaro of Friends of the Monarchs insists the butterflies brought her to Pacific Grove. “My sister called me on the East Coast and said, ‘You’ve got to see this.’ I arrived in time for the Butterfly Parade, and when I returned back East, it was only to quit my job, pack my things, and move to Pacific Grove. That was 13 years ago, and I haven’t stopped grinning.”

Evidence of the city’s affection for the butterfly are everywhere—fluttering in the city flag, hovering on colorful silk banners and pennants from poles attached to buildings and homes along the cozy streets. Entire gardens are devoted to flowers and shrubbery specially planted to attract and protect the monarchs. The town’s Museum of Natural History has an award-winning display, with a video documentary, stunning photographs, and informative text, as well as a gift shop filled with books, mobiles, activity guides, and more.

The warming February sun and increasing daylight hours are catalysts for a biological change in the monarchs. Though lethargic in the winter months, they rapidly mature and mate, then depart toward a destination only their future offspring will reach. And with their exodus, a stillness settles over Pacific Grove quite unlike the whispering sound everyone had become accustomed to hearing—if they had listened for it.

The statue of the boy and girl wearing butterfly costumes that stands on a pedestal in front of the post office is a reminder the monarchs will be returning and a new group of kindergartners will lead the parade down Lighthouse Avenue. The bronze figures extending a hand to hold the butterfly are also a reminder of our responsibilities to each other and the spontaneous joy we feel when we see a butterfly; that everything in our world, somehow, is going to be all right.

Laura A. Harris is a freelance writer from Salinas, Calif.

Upload Your Own Stories, Photos and Videos

Every week, American Profile magazine brings you stories that celebrate the people and places that make America great. Now we want to hear your stories and see your photos, videos and even audio.

 Start Uploading Now!

 

Discuss this Article