Misty air, humming insects, rustling leaves, and chirping birds — it’s all part of the charm of Goleta’s Butterfly Grove. But this year, there’s one glaring omission: the butterflies.
Last year at this time, the Ellwood Mesa forest was teeming with monarchs, with more than 15,000 counted. By mid-December, that number had climbed to more than 26,000. This year, however, the count is far less impressive — since October, the highest two-week count is 34. On Tuesday, it was just four. For hikers hoping to spot even one monarch, the odds aren’t in their favor.
Monarch counts are conducted biweekly during the overwintering season, the period when monarchs migrate to California’s coast in search of warmer weather. December typically marks peak monarch activity, but recent trends show a severe decline.