Low Number of Monarch Butterflies Recored for Second Straight Year in Pismo Beach

PISMO BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) - For a second straight year, a low number of monarch butterflies have been counted at the popular Pismo State Beach Butterfly Grove.

"Unfortunately, we're looking at another low year for our populations for this western monarch butterfly," said Danielle Bronson, Pismo State Beach Interpretive and Cultural Program Manager. "We had the most recent count was yesterday, and that was a 400. Our peak count for this season was around 480. It's another low year."

While the butterfly count remains at a low number for a second consecutive year, Bronson pointed out it is better than was seen five years ago in 2020.

"It is not our lowest year," said Bronson. "During Covid, that was our lowest year when we had just shy of 200, but we are seeing these low numbers, not just here at Pismo State Beach, but throughout the entire Western monarch population counts that are done by Xerces Society."

Following the record low in 2020, the monarch population bounced back in a big way the the next three years with 21,000 monarchs recorded in 2021, 24,000 in 2022, and 16,000 in 2023.

"Having that fluctuation is not uncommon with insects," said Bronson. "We're just seeing traditional low population numbers when we are tracking them and we really want to see those numbers increase, so running yourself with education, planting native nectarine flowers is wonderful way for the public to help out at home. You can go on to the websites of Xerces Society or Monarch Joint Health. Those are organizations that can provide the public with different educational opportunities on how they can help the species."

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