Where the Wind Blows: Does wind speed affect overwintering monarchs?

**Correction: In this episode it states that the number of western monarchs in 2023 was 9,000 total. This was the total number for 2024.

Monarch butterflies are known as long-distance travelers, flying hundreds or thousands of miles from summer breeding areas to overwintering sites. These sites, although small, are essential for the survival of monarchs. Monarch butterflies across the western United States and into British Columbia migrate to California, where they shelter in tree groves scattered along the coast from Mendocino County to the Mexican border and further south. Beyond trees to roost in, what other features makes a grove good for monarchs? What more can we learn to help provide for their overwintering needs?

To talk with us and help understand these questions, we are joined by Kyle Nessen. Kyle is a Biology instructor at Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, California. He has a masters of science in biology from California Polytechnic State University where he studied impacts of wind and forest structure on monarchs in their overwintering habitat.

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.