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36 | OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2023 | Save The Monarch Butterfly Overwintering for All In the world of the Western Monarch butterfly, December through January is overwintering time – for the butterflies and their human supporters. The butterflies begin to cluster at overwintering sites along the Pacific coast once the weather turns cool, and they will remain there until warming temperatures tell them it's time to start a new cycle – usually in late February. That is why we closed the garden in November and gave our hard-working volunteers a rest, believing the monarchs were gone. But then we noticed that a few stubborn Monarchs were still around when the sun came out. And, lo and behold, on Jan. 2 and Jan. 3, two beautiful butterflies emerged from their chrysalises, ate some late blooming plants and flew off. You may be interested in visiting the Monarchs in their winter habitats. California has dozens of overwintering sites in eucalyptus groves scattered along the length of its coast, plus a few more inland. Several are in the San Diego area, but the largest enclaves are further north, in Goleta (near Santa Barbara) and Pismo Beach. In the meantime, the SMB Board has been active. At our annual meeting in November, a new slate of offices was elected for the coming year. Myra Esler will continue as President, with Rona Cole and Diane Hillman staying on as Vice President and Treasurer. Robin Genat becomes Secretary, while Ruth Schafer is Director of Special Events. Monthly Board of Director meetings will now be held on the first Friday of each month at 11 am in the Art Room. Winter is an important time for renewing our gardens. The milkweed in the sanctuary is now dormant and our perennial flowers have stopped blooming, and our maintenance team will be trimming back the plants and amending the soil in preparation for spring. We expect the garden to flourish in year two, with the milkweed spreading and perennials and shrubs becoming more mature. Meanwhile, it's also planning time for home gardeners. We hope you'll include planting milkweed and butterfly-friendly nectar plants in your own spaces. The Board is developing a detailed plan to help you with that. We accomplished a tremendous amount last year, but our mission – Saving the Western Monarch – will continue through 2023 and beyond. ~ Myra Esler This is the last butterfly to emerge. We didn't name it. This is Eve, the first butterfly emerging from the garden.