By AUSTIN WALSH
Orange and black in October are typically associated with Halloween or a playoff winning streak by the Giants. But this weekend, in Santa Cruz, they will represent the traditional colors of local love for insects.
The monarch butterfly, one of the area's most adored flying friends, is returning to Santa Cruz for the season. And to celebrate their remigration, Natural Bridges State Beach will host its 23rd annual Welcome Back Monarchs Day on Sunday. People are invited to take part in the free event from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
The beach will welcome thousands of visitors this weekend to participate in guided tours, lectures and children's activities, officials say. Special attractions will include information tables, arts, crafts and games for children, a play to demonstrate a butterfly's life cycle, and a butterfly-themed parade. The Mostly Mediocre Musical Monarch Mariposas band, consisting of state park officials and volunteers, will perform classic songs that have been reinterpreted to be about butterflies. The event marks the beginning of the season for the public to visit Natural Bridges to see the butterflies. The park will offer guided tours during the weekends through February.
"The butterflies are here, the weather is perfect, it's a perfect day to come out and I really encourage people to come and join us at the festival," said Martha Nitzberg, a State Parks interpreter.
The Monarch Grove at Natural Bridges State Beach has been declared a
The monarchs come back to Natural Bridges from as far away as the Rocky Mountains every year. Thanks to the seasonal weather combined with the beach's eucalyptus grove, which protects the butterflies from wind, and a milkweed garden that provides food and mating space, the butterflies come back to the beach before they migrate north in February. From spring until summer, the monarchs live in valley areas west of the Rockies where milkweed, the only plant monarch caterpillars eat, is plentiful.
The insects enjoy the eucalyptus grove's location off of the ocean because the climate is slightly warmer than higher elevation, and they can feed from the tree's nectar during the winter. The tree's structure also provides opportunities for the monarchs to hibernate in their famous clusters.
There will be lessons taught at the festival this weekend on how people can cultivate their own butterfly-friendly gardens.
"Monarchs, like some people, like the sun and don't like the wind," said Nitzberg, as a tip to those interested in attracting butterflies to their backyard.
A raffle will take place at the event, offering prizes such as a tea time in the butterfly grove. There will also be food available for sale at the event including hot dogs, chili, farfalle noodle or butterfly pasta salad, and ice cream. Proceeds generated by sales will go to the park's education fund.
"There's something that's so graceful and compelling about monarchs," Nitzberg said. "They have a lot of different meanings to different people."