The 2013/2014 Monarch season has come to a close. We celebrated another successful Monarch season with three new docents and the ability to provide more docent-led school field trips for local students. Although the Monarch counts in the Ellwood Main grove were down from previous years, we saw other aggregation sites at the Ellwood Mesa seeing higher numbers of Monarchs than previously observed. The current drought conditions may have contributed to the lower numbers at Ellwood Main since the butterflies usually enjoy the close proximity of the creek at the grove. This year, that creek continues to be dry.

The City Council received an overview of the Monarch Butterfly program at a Council meeting in March and recognized new and returning docents. The City also hosted a Docent Appreciation Picnic for the dedicated volunteers who make this unique experience possible for locals and visitors alike.

If you are interested in becoming a docent or learning more about the program, please contact Luz Reyes Martin at lreyesmartin@cityofgoleta.org or at 961-7558 to be notified when the next docent class is scheduled.

Docent recognition at the City Council meeting