Goleta Monarch Numbers Still Troublingly Low

More monarchs migrated to the Goleta groves this season than last season, but the numbers still show a drastic drop from years past. The entire Ellwood Mesa attracted a high of 22,237 butterflies by December, while the popular main grove saw 6,915 monarchs by January, according to a report made to the Goleta Parks and Recreation Commission. In 2013, the main grove saw a record-low migration of 2,500; the count was as high as 47,510 in 2011. Scientists have suggested the drought could be a culprit.