Since their arrival in early November, monarchs have remained in single locations in the Sierra Chincua and El Rosario Sanctuaries. Over this past weekend, the colony at El Rosario Sanctuary has moved several hundred meters northwest forming a new colony within larger clusters.
Warmer temperatures keep our fantastic orange creatures much too active:
NOAA National Centers for Environmental information, Climate at a Glance: Global Mapping, published February 2023, retrieved on February 20, 2023 from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/global/mapping
Surprisingly in comparison to recent years, many monarchs in the West are still savoring the protection of the California overwintering sites as we approach the end of February, a harbinger of cool weather. Mating and active flying and nectaring monarchs rule the day in the groves on sunny days. Counts continue to monitor their presence/absence.
