Celebrate Western Monarch Day Every February 5

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It’s Western Monarch Day!

You’ve most likely heard of the Monarch butterfly, that beautiful orange and black butterfly that lays its eggs on milkweed.

But did you realize there are actually two separate populations of Monarchs?

The Eastern Monarch breeds east of the Rocky Mountains and overwinters in Mexico.

The Western Monarch lives west of the Rockies and spends winters in California. This is the population we celebrate on Western Monarch Day. This is an official day in California where the state legislature established the day in 2004.

Hundreds of thousands of Monarchs spend their winters (October/November through February/March) in groves along the coast of California. One of the biggest is in Pismo Beach. Not surprisingly, this area also has lots of activities surrounding Western Monarch Butterfly Day.

 

Monarch Butterfly FAQ

Monarchs have a wingspan up to 4-3/4 inches. This makes them one of the biggest butterflies in North America.

Depending on where they breed and where they go for winter, Monarch butterflies can migrate from a few hundred miles to 3,000 miles.

Monarchs live all across the U.S. Six states have named the Monarch as their State Butterfly: Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas and West Virginia.

Monarch larvae only eat milkweed. But since prairie and meadows are disappearing, so is the milkweed. Which means fewer Monarchs can survive on what’s left.

National Geographic Kids has a nice overview page on Monarchs. But just because it’s a kid’s site doesn’t mean adults can’t use it too!

Watch the whole life cycle of a Monarch from egg to butterfly in just 4-1/2 minutes:

 

Marvel at the beauty of the Monarch with dozens of beautiful pictures of Monarchs at all stages of life.

Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficial but beautiful holiday.

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Ideas For Celebrating Western Monarch Butterfly Day

Yes, technically this day is to celebrate the Western Monarch, which for some reason seems to get less attention than its Eastern cousin. But both populations are declining, and they need our help.

So it doesn’t matter if you live east or west of the Rockies. You can still celebrate this day.

If you do happen to be in California, consider going to one of the Western Monarch Butterfly Day recognition events. They’re not always held on February 5, so even if you’re just visiting, you might be able to find one to fit your schedule.

In fact, the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is open throughout the season, with daily docent talks. So you can celebrate these beautiful butterflies at whatever time suits you best.

Plant some milkweed, and encourage friends, family and neighbors to do the same.

Here’s a quick overview of growing milkweed to attract Monarch butterflies:

 

Get the kids involved too. They can:

• Color Monarch butterflies (and caterpillars, too!)
• Do butterfly games & puzzles
• Help plant a monarch butterfly garden

 

For more information on Monarchs and how you can help them, check out MonarchWatch.org.

 

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