The Gathering

Christine, the warden, told us there were about 1500 Monarchs overwintering at Ardenwood that year. These are clustered on Eucalyptus, not native to California but the trees provide food and shelter for the precious insects.

[Denise Wood]

What an amazing sight to see :) fav

[Jesika]

@gilbertwood wonderful as this was, there was better to come...thank you j

[kali]

@mzzhope will love this

[Hope D Jennings]

@kali66 thank you for showing me Kali! This is such an amazing sight to see. This is wonderful. I love Ardenwood!

[Jesika]

@kali66 @mzzhope thank you. Hope there are Monarchs to enjoy this winter, I know California is having major problems and that Monarch numbers have fallen. Hopefully the projects to at least halt the decline will succeed. j

[Hope D Jennings]

@jesika2 I am hoping so too. The summer numbers here in the northeast were great. Hoping the overwintering in Mexico will be better too.

[Jesika]

@mzzhope I’ve seen the wonderful footage (with envy) and I believe the monarchs arrived at the Mexican village whose name I have forgotten, in time for the annual return festival.

[Merrelyn]

What an amazing sight.

[Jesika]

@merrelyn it was truly glorious, and there will be more pics on Friday from another sanctuary j

[FBailey]

Fabulous sight x

[Jesika]

@fbailey if I ever go back, are you coming? I’m sure baby sitters could be arranged lol! X

[FBailey]

@jesika2 Yes pse! x

[Rosie Kind]

How amazing to see so many of them together like this Fav

[Jesika]

@rosiekind it was the second most amazing sight in my life, the first was the Painted Lady irruption of 1996 here in York. 2 days after visiting Ardenwood it was relegated to third place when we went to our second Monarch sanctuary.
Thank you all for making my butterflies popular and trendy. j

[KoalaGardens🐨]

amazing to see so many!

[Jesika]

@koalagardens thank you, it really was wonderful. The Monarch found its way to Australia about 150 years ago, i don’t know if they are in your area. j

[Sue Cooper]

Amazing capture.

[Jesika]

@susiemc thank you, Sue

[Steve Pooley]

Fabulous to see, lucky you

[Dreich]

Incredible natural phenomenon I would love to see. Saw a few in Albuquerque probably just before they were heading to Mexico.

[Jesika]

@steveandkerry Wonderful as that was, Pacific Grove, Monterey, was better, thousands not hundreds. But nothing compares to the Painted Lady irruption in 1996 when there were millions in York. Like David Attenborough's Monarch in Mexico.
Really hope you get to see it one day but they've suffered greatly in Ca this year I believe j

[Jesika]

@stevepo Thank you, I most certainly was a lucky old lady.

[PhotoCrazy]

Wow!! Cool capture!!

[Jesika]

@photographycrazy thank you very much. j