Western Monarch Day Feb 5, 2024

Western Monarch Day

Western Monarch Day celebrates a stunning natural phenomenon, the annual migration of thousands of flame-colored butterflies to California. Traveling south to escape the winter weather, they use air currents to help them make journeys of hundreds of miles. They descend to gather in large numbers on eucalyptus trees, like the ones pictured on our homepage today in Goleta, Santa Barbara County. Those gathered to see clusters of butterflies in 100-foot-tall trees might confuse them for clumps of leaves at first. However, as the sun"s rays gently fall upon them, their wings will begin to flutter. Bring your binoculars and take the opportunity to witness these winged wonders huddled together. It"s truly a sight to behold!

© Craig Rademacher/500px/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Feb 5, 2018Iceberg off the coast of Antarctica
Feb 5, 2019Welcome to the Year of the Pig
Feb 5, 2020Frozen beauty
Feb 5, 2021A sea of swirling stone
Feb 5, 2022Monarch butterflies in Angangueo, Mexico
Feb 5, 2023Monarch butterflies, Pismo Beach, California
Feb 5, 2025Scottish Blackface sheep, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Feb 19, 2024Presidents Day
Dec 23, 2021Festivus
Nov 19, 2023Alam-Pedja Nature Reserve, Estonia
May 27, 2020Clouds over the River of Grass
Sep 9, 2020Where the bearded reedling sings
Sep 5, 2018Salmon migration in full swing
Apr 3, 2018The village of Castelluccio above the Piano Grande, Umbria, Italy
Sep 19, 2023Splügen Pass, Switzerland
Aug 1, 2022Hawai i Volcanoes National Park at 106
Jul 1, 2018Let the games begin
Jul 11, 2025World Population Day
Nov 16, 2020A temple, preserved
Jan 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Jun 5, 2018Up, up, and away for Hot Air Balloon Day
May 17, 2021Happy Syttende Mai!
Jan 23, 2025Sundance Film Festival
Sep 9, 2021Islands of the Salish Sea
Jan 14, 2023Feast of the Donkey
Jun 15, 2019Pasadena Chalk Festival supports local arts education
Apr 17, 2020It s a ruff life
Jul 6, 2023International Kissing Day
Jul 16, 2021Whatever floats your boat
May 29, 2020It s Bermuda s big day
Sep 22, 2021What s cuter than nuzzling rhinos?
Jan 6, 2019A winter wonderland in Northeast China
Aug 3, 2024Three Natural Bridges, Wulong Karst, China
Apr 8, 2021I m here! Take a look at me!
May 22, 2024International Day for Biological Diversity
Feb 18, 2019Presidents Day in America’s front yard
Nov 9, 2021Dalyan, Turkey