McPHERSON ANNOUNCES LEGISLATIVE DECLARATION:
FEBRUARY 5th IS CALIFORNIA WESTERN MONARCH DAY
SACRAMENTO, CAState Senator Bruce McPherson announced today the Legislative Declaration of every February 5th as California Western Monarch Day. The effort was supported by over a dozen legislators on a bipartisan basis.
The Western Monarch Butterfly, with its beautifully familiar black and orange markings on its body and wings, is a delight for people of all ages to observe and study. Ranging in size, the Western Monarch Butterfly is a highly visible addition to California's natural heritage.
Each spring, the Western Monarch flies north as the milkweed plants come into bloom. Returning in the fall, the tens of thousands of Western Monarchs over-winter along the California Coast in state parks such as Pismo Beach State Park, clinging in huge clusters to the foliage of trees and shrubs. During this peak migratory season, thousands of visitors to the California Monarch Butterfly habitats commonly report seeing entire trees covered with thousands of spectacular butterflies.
These uniquely beautiful creatures benefit our communities both economically through increased tourism and by educating our school children, said Senator McPherson. They help us and we need to do all we can to help restore and preserve their habitats.
It is on February 5th that a high concentration of Western Monarch Butterflies have arrived from as far north as Canada to over-winter for a six months season in the warmth and protection of the California coast.
Sheila Boone, direct descendant of Daniel Boone and tireless advocate for butterfly preservation, sponsored the resolution and thanked Senator McPherson for his efforts to raise public awareness saying, This is a special recognition to the millions of school children all across the U.S. who celebrate the annual return migrations of the Western Monarch butterflies in classrooms and school assemblies each year.
