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Introduction Video to our Short Series all about Monarchs!

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Introduction Video to our Short Series all about Monarchs!

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Watch to learn how the monarch caterpillar transforms into the adult monarch butterfly!

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Watch this video to learn about the anatomy of a butterfly and how it uses its senses to survive!

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Click here to learn about how and where Western Monarch Butterflies migrate!

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https://youtu.be/Yqa9JcCDabc

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Climate Change Causing Monarchs to Adapt?

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Climate Change Causing Monarchs to Adapt?

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Check out this article with information about how climate change may be causing shifts to the monarch migration and breeding locations.

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A polar bear walks along a rocky shore, looking for food. The bear would usually be on the sea ice hunting for seals, pouncing when the seal comes up to breathe. But the ice has started to melt earlier and re-form later than it has in the past. Without the sea ice, the polar bear must scavenge for other, less nutritious food.

These changes in polar sea ice are a result of climate change. But this isn't just affecting polar bears-climate change affects everyone.

What is climate change?

Weather changes day to day-sometimes it rains, other days it's hot. Climate is the pattern of the weather conditions over a long period of time for a large area. And climate can be affected by Earth's atmosphere.

Our Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere made up of gases. When sunlight enters our atmosphere, some of the sun's heat is trapped by the gas, and some bounces back out into space. By trapping that heat, our atmosphere keeps Earth warm enough to live on. Without it, our planet would be very cold, like Mars.

Earth's climate has always naturally cycled through change, caused by how much of the sun's energy was absorbed by the atmosphere. In fact over the past 650,000 years, the Earth has gone through seven ice ages and warming periods.

What's different now?

But during the past few hundred years, oil, gas, and coal have powered homes, cars, and factories. These energy sources release a gas called carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. This gas traps heat that would otherwise escape Earth's atmosphere. That increases Earth's temperature, which contributes to the planet's warming.

That's why many scientists agree that the Earth is now warming because of human activity. How do they know? Through careful study, they know that the climate is warming about 10 times faster than the average previous warming times. They've also ruled out the natural factors that caused warming in the past.

The Earth's average temperature has increased about 1.5°F in the past hundred years. It doesn't sound like much, but scientists think that the temperature increase has caused melting glaciers, drought, and coral reef die-off. (Coral can't survive in water that's too warm.) They expect the climate will warm another .5°F to 8.6°F by the year 2100.

What could happen?

Climate change affects more than temperature. Warmer water changes the patterns of ocean currents, affecting global weather patterns.

Some places will receive more rainfall, which could lead to flooding, while other places will get less, which might mean drought. Tropical storms could be stronger, and a continuing rise in sea level due to melting polar ice might push people out of their homes.

Hundreds of plant and animal species have already experienced changes because of climate change. The American pika, for example, is a small mammal that lives in cool mountainous areas in western North America-in fact, it can die when exposed to temperatures warmer than 78˚F. So as the mountain climate heats up, the pika climbs the slopes in search of cooler habitat. But what happens when temperatures at the top become too warm for the pika?

Other species will benefit from a warmer world-but in some cases that would be bad news for humans. Because disease-carrying mosquitoes thrive in warm, wet weather, more people could contract illnesses such as malaria as the Earth warms.

What can we do about it?

You can do a lot! It's simple to make a difference to keep the Earth healthy. Try some of these tips to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide you add to the atmosphere.

Instead of traveling in a car, use public transportation, walk, or ride your bike when you can. Biking or walking 10 miles each day instead of riding in a car can save up to 1.9 tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere every year.

Reduce and reuse things as much as possible. Factories emit lots of carbon dioxide when making new products. (Buying products that are made with recycled glass and plastic also emits carbon dioxide, though less so.) Fix your appliances and clothes instead of buying new products. Good thing holey jeans are back in style!

Wash your clothes in cold water, and hang them to dry.

Electronics use energy even when they're turned off, so unplug them when you're not using them. It could save your family about $200 a year on its energy bill.

Eat less meat and dairy. Farm animals, er, emit another heat-trapping gas, methane. And some studies have found that livestock account for about half of the world's heat-trapping gas emissions.

Buy locally grown and in-season foods and products to reduce emissions from transporting products.

Wear a warm sweater at home in the winter instead of turning up the heat, and open your windows instead of blasting the air conditioning in the summer.

Talk to your parents and the other adults that you know about climate change. Send a letter or drawing to your mayor, Senate or House representative, or even to the president. These leaders can vote to regulate and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

Your everyday actions affect people, plants, and animals all over the world-including polar bears! So be cool by doing your best to keep Earth well ... cool!

Climate: The average pattern of weather conditions over a long period of time. Climate isn't weather-weather changes daily.

Global warming: The increate in Earth's average temperature over a long period of time

Carbon dioxide: A gas released by the burning of coal, natural gas, oil, and wood that traps heat in the atmosphere

Carbon footprint: The amount of carbon dioxide one human releases into the environment in a year

Fossil fuels: Coal, oil, and natural gas, which come from the breakdown of ancient plants and animals over millions of years

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What is climate change? What could happen? Get all the facts you need to know.

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Article about how you can help monarchs!

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Imagine that the city of Los Angeles had shrunk to the size of the town of Monterey. You'd be shocked. Basically, that is what has happened to the monarch butterflies that overwinter in California. In 2018, the population of western monarchs hit a record low of less than 29,000 butterflies. In 2019, the number of butterflies was 29,418-better, but still a decline of over 99% since the 1980s, when the number of monarchs flying to California for the winter is estimated to have been 4.5 million. For every 160 monarchs there were 30 years ago, there is only one left flying today.

The significant problems afflicting western monarchs are habitat loss (overwintering and breeding areas), pesticide use (herbicides and insecticides), and climate change (including increased drought severity and frequency). Research into monarch losses is active and ongoing, but the depth and abruptness of the recent declines means that we need to act now based on the available evidence. The western monarch population may collapse completely if we wait until all of the answers are fully in focus.

Western monarchs are in trouble, but there are concrete actions that we can all take to help them recover. The Xerces Society is taking action for monarchs in California. Working with farmers, natural area managers, California cities, and others we are planting and restoring habitat across the Central Valley-a key breeding and migration area for monarchs. Hedgerows and other habitat restoration projects provide essential nectar sources, milkweed for breeding, and unsprayed refuge. Xerces is also pushing for protection for overwintering sites and working with partners to restore overwintering habitat.

Will you help us in this task?

In this document we offer simple steps that any individual can take to help support the western monarch population. This is intended as a companion document to the Western Monarch Call to Action, linked in the Related Resources list.
Originally released January 2019; updated January 2020.

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the xerces society for invertebrate conservation

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Western Monarchs Are in Trouble: This Is How You Can Help

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Imagine that the city of Los Angeles had shrunk to the size of the town of Monterey. You'd be shocked. Basically, that is what has happened to the monarch butterflies that overwinter in California. In 2018, the population of western monarchs hit a record low of less than 29,000 butterflies.

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Large clusters of monarchs at the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove (2016 season).

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*Note this footage is from the overwintering sites in Mexico where the Eastern Population of Monarch Butterflies spend the winter.  These are a different population of butterflies than the Western Monarch population that visit the coast of California but this footage is too cool not to share here!

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Watch a Breathtaking Monarch Butterfly Swarm

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The Western Monarch Butterfly Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students (PORTS) Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove Oceano Dunes District Introduction Teachers: Here is how to register for personalized classroom programs! Introduction Monarch butterflies are a truly

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If your class is unable to participate in our live virtual field trip, you can share this recorded video that covers content appropriate for kindergarten through 2nd grade levels.

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Monarch Butterfly PORTS Program: Kindergarten - 2nd grade

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If your class is unable to participate in our live virtual field trip, you can share this recorded video that covers the same content for the 3rd - 5th grade levels.

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Monarch Butterfly PORTS Program: Grades 3rd-5th

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This website has the best scientific resources for updated information on western monarch butterfly populations.

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We are working across the U.S. to protect and restore habitat for monarch butterflies on farms, in natural areas, along roadsides and rights of way, and in urban spaces.

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Lesson Plans from the California Academy of Sciences Muesuem in San Francisco!

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Lesson Plans from the California Academy of Sciences Muesuem in San Francisco!

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A free collection of lesson plans and activities for teachers and families!

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It seems JavaScript is either disabled or not supported by your browser. To view this site, enable JavaScript by changing your browser options and try again.

Jump to main content

Flutter over to this colorful collection of butterfly-themed activities, perfect for Lepidoptera lovers ages 4-8.

Fragile yet fearless, pint-sized yet widespread, butterflies are marvels of nature, transforming from lowly caterpillars into majestic beauties through the mysterious process of metamorphosis. Take flight with these winged wonders through a variety of videos, crafts, and interactive programs.
Please note: While Science @ Home activities are designed to be conducted by kids, some little ones might need adult help with reading instructions and preparing crafts.

Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched 5x!

This year's closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched 5x, up to $200,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

Match my gift

Year-End Resilience Drive

All Gifts Matched!

This year's closures are having a devastating effect on the Academy. But until Dec. 31, all gifts will be matched, up to $100,000, to support our scientific research, education programs, and care and conservation of our animals.

Please help the Academy with a tax-deductible gift today.

Match my gift

Our doors are closed...

...but our penguins are still counting on you. Make a matched Giving Tuesday gift to support the care and conservation of the Academy's animal residents.

All gifts up to $50,000 will be doubled to make twice the impact for our penguin colony - but only until midnight on December 1.

Match My Gift

Learn more about our closure.

Welcome back!

The Academy is open to the public. All guests must reserve tickets in advance.

Please do your part to keep our community safe. Failure to follow any health and safety rules, posted signage, or staff instructions may result in your removal from the museum:

Masks must be worn properly by all guests ages 3+ at all times.

6' of physical distancing is required.

Some exhibits, including the planetarium, remain temporarily closed.

Reservations are required for the rainforest and Shake House.

Click the link below to view complete safety information and reserve timed-entry tickets. We hope to see you soon!

Ready, Set, Science!

The Academy is temporarily closed.

The health and safety of our guests and staff is our top priority. As of November 29, the Academy is closed to the public until further notice in accordance with local and state public health guidelines. We hope to welcome you back soon.

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Flutter over to this colorful collection of butterfly-themed activities, ideal for Lepidoptera lovers ages 4-8.

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Population Numbers Over Time in the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

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Population Numbers Over Time in the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

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Community Science - track your sightings!

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Community Science - track your sightings!

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The Monarch Joint Venture is an organization that relies on the help of community scientists (also called citizen scientists and participatory scientists) to collect data during all phases of the annual life cycle of monarch breeding, migrating, and overwintering. While measuring and studying overwintering colonies may give us the best estimate of population size, it is important to gain insight into breeding population trends and factors influencing the migration within the U.S. Click the link below to learn more!

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To understand the monarch migration, we rely on the help of community scientists (also called citizen scientists) to collect data during all phases of the annual life cycle of monarch breeding, migrating, and overwintering. While measuring and studying overwintering colonies may give us the best estimate of population size, it is important to gain insight into breeding population trends and factors influencing the migration within the U.S.

Each phase of the monarch annual life cycle plays a role in the overall health and abundance of North American monarchs. To estimate the overwintering population in Mexico, staff members of the World Wildlife Fund-Mexico and Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas (CONANP) measure the area within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve that is occupied by monarch overwintering colonies. In the U.S., however, information about the status of breeding and migration is collected by community scientists. Check out the list below for opportunities to get involved with community science and monarch monitoring projects across North America.
Monarch Community Science Overview Handout So, why is the MJV shifting their language from citizen science to community science?
Over the years, there have been a number of terms used to describe projects that involved the public in scientific research. Citizen science has been a popular term for the last two decades, where the use of the word citizen was used to distinguish between professional and amateur scientists. However, the connotations of this word are limiting widespread and inclusive participation in science. Since citizenship in one country or another has never been a prerequisite for participation in these types of projects, the MJV is supporting a transition to the term community science. You will likely notice this change in language over time as we update our website, outreach materials, and communications.

Language is powerful; we hope this shift in language increases inclusivity, engages more members of the public, and emphasizes that anyone with an interest in science is welcome to participate in community monarch monitoring projects! You can read more about our decision in our blog post from October 2020.

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Participate in Community Science | The Monarch Joint Venture

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To understand the monarch migration, we rely on the help of community scientists (also called citizen scientists) to collect data during all phases of the annual life cycle of monarch breeding, migrating, and overwintering.

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Is it helpful to raise and release monarch butterflies from your house? The short answer is no, it doesn't help the wild populations - check out this handout to learn more!

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Learn more about how you can help butterflies!

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Learn more about how you can help butterflies!

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With their incredible migrations of up to 3,000 miles and annual overwintering aggregations in the trees of Central Mexico and California, monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus are celebrities among insects and true butterfly royalty. They range from Mexico northward to Canada in two populations: one on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains and a significantly smaller group on the western side. Sadly, the future of these glorious creatures is in doubt-and the western monarch population is in an especially precarious state.

Western monarch populations have been in a steady decline since the 1980s, with an abrupt drop of 86 percent between 2018 and 2019. Today's population is less than 1 percent of historical levels-dangerously near the estimated quasi-extinction level of around 30,000 butterflies. Since numbers fluctuate naturally from year to year, one more severe loss in any year could render the population unrecoverable.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) North American Monarchs group is harnessing the collective power of zoos and aquariums to meet this conservation crisis. The goal of the program is to help boost the actions of monarch conservation partners like Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Monarch Watch, Monarch Joint Venture, and the National Wildlife Federation. We need all hands on deck, and that is why we created Play it Safe for Monarchs.

Individuals, families, and communities can help minimize known risks to monarchs through simple, enjoyable actions. To Play it SAFE for Monarchs, you take part in community science projects and create monarch habitat while avoiding activities that can put monarchs in harm's way. We will be making and sharing plans all calendar year so you can help prepare for the fall migration and the spring migration/breeding season that follows.

Here are some ways you can help Play it SAFE for Monarchs:

Challenge: Adult butterflies lack nectar sources on their long migratory journeys.

Challenge: Nonnative milkweed perpetuates disease in monarchs.
Monarchs need more than just milkweed to survive. Check in with your local native plant nurseries to find and plant the favorite nectar resources of monarchs in your area. Encourage your local parks, community centers, schools and neighbors alike to join in, speak up in city council meetings, and ask your mayor to sign the National Wildlife Federation's Mayor's Monarch Pledge! Any urban planning for monarchs will benefit the migration and all local pollinators.

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Challenge: Winter breeding increases disease and can disrupt migration.
Along with climate change, disease has emerged as a serious threat to migratory monarchs. Monarchs suffer from a devastating protozoan parasite ( Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, or OE) that is deposited on milkweed plants when infected adults land on them to lay eggs. Caterpillars become infected by eating the spores. Drastic outcomes can include deformity or even death of the adult animal, but many infected adults will survive and continue to spread the parasite.

Challenge: Pesticide use in urban and rural settings contributes to the decline of monarchs.
Migration breaks this host-parasite cycle, as does the annual dormancy in native milkweeds. Native milkweeds in California typically die back in the fall and early winter, effectively eliminating the parasite's connection to the butterfly host. The same is true for milkweeds found in the range of the eastern population, but some of the southern states have warmer temperatures that lead to extended availability of a nonnative tropical milkweed and increased infection. In general, native plants are always the best choice for local wildlife; for monarchs, native milkweed is critical.

The prevalence of nonnative, tropical milkweed ( Asclepias curassavica) complicates the issue of disease from OE since unlike native milkweed species, this popularly planted exotic plant does not go dormant in the fall in warm areas such as Southern California. The year-round presence of tropical milkweed encourages winter breeding in monarchs, which can lead to parasitic infections up to nine times higher than in migratory populations! It can also disrupt migratory behavior, resulting in a permanent non-migratory resident population of monarchs occurring within the migratory range. Both disease and lack of migration directly threaten the already struggling migratory populations.

Challenge: Fewer monarchs are making it to the overwintering grounds; some of their movements are still a mystery to science.
Tropical milkweed is prevalent and highly utilized for gardening and landscaping, and it is often the dominant milkweed available at nurseries. But demand drives supply-you can help by asking local nurseries to carry native milkweed for your area. Find regional seed and plants on the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation/ Monarch Joint Venture seed finder. Locally, the San Diego Pollinator Alliance also sources native milkweed seed for monarchs. If enough customers ask for change, it will come!

Milkweed is the only host plant for monarch caterpillars, yet pesticides are present in both wild and cultivated plants. Long-lasting systemic neonicotinoid pesticides, the most widely used class of insecticide nationally, are strongly implicated in the western monarch's decline. Many "butterfly-friendly" plants sold in commercial nurseries-including milkweed-are treated with these chemicals.

Systemic pesticides spread through all the tissues of the plants that are treated, contaminating nectar, pollen, and leaf alike. The result is that although the chemical may be marketed for a specific insect pest, it also has dire consequences for pollinators like bees and monarch butterflies.

Help feed the migration! Make your voice heard and ask your nursery for clean milkweed and nectar plants for pollinators that are not treated with pesticides! And just say "no" to systemic pesticides, at home and in your community.

You can help fill the many data gaps for western monarchs; knowing where their host plants grow and how they travel is very important in informing management decisions that affect their future. Join any or all of these efforts-it's rewarding and fun!

Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation lets you share observations of western monarchs and locations of milkweed plants.

Journey North tracks movements of monarchs in both populations, as well as milkweed, helping scientists understand the movements of migratory monarchs through their habitat in real time.

Monarch Joint Venture is an impressive monarch conservation collaborative with many relevant community science opportunities-something for everyone!
Paige Howorth is the McKinney Family Director of Invertebrate Care and Conservation for San Diego Zoo Global.
Challenge: Indoor, captive rearing introduces risk to monarchs, particularly in the west.

Many conservation actions for threatened insect species are centered on the captive propagation and subsequent release of offspring into wild habitat-this is true for many butterflies. In most cases, this approach is a last resort to restore a species, is undertaken in a very controlled environment, and accompanies other measures in a given recovery plan.

For western monarchs, however, captive breeding can lead to unintended consequences and even have the net result of harming the migratory population. Migratory behavior in monarchs is extremely flexible and a delicate balance of inputs is required to support its proper development. Several monarch studies conducted over the past two years have revealed that indoor, captive rearing can produce smaller, weaker butterflies that fail to orient properly for migration as compared to their wild counterparts. In addition, commercial releases of monarchs for weddings and other special events can cause butterflies that may be bred in captivity for multiple generations to be released into the range of the migratory population, introducing undesirable traits and disease and complicating monitoring efforts. Both of these risks to monarchs are uniquely preventable and totally within our control, something that we cannot easily say about the other threats that monarchs face.

Besides, anyone who loves rearing monarchs in their home can love "ranching" them just as much outside! Creating breeding habitat outside with native plants gives monarchs the best chance for proper development of all their physical and behavioral traits and will result in a more robust population.

So join us, please, in playing it SAFE for monarchs! Your protective actions can have real, tangible effects on both populations and your observations are critically important to science. And it is no exaggeration to say that right now, every single choice and action matters, especially for western monarchs.

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With their incredible migrations of up to 3,000 miles and annual overwintering aggregations in the trees of Central Mexico and California, monarch butterflies Danaus plexippus are celebrities among insects and true butterfly royalty. They range from Mexico northward to Canada in two populations: one on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains and a significantly smaller group on the western side.

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Magnificent Monarchs: Little Ranger Program

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Magnificent Monarchs: Little Ranger Program

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Click here to watch a monarch program for little ones aged 2 to 6.

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"Magnificent Monarchs" Little Ranger Program

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Monarch Emerging from Chrysalis

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Monarch Emerging from Chrysalis Time-lapse

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This little song, sung to the tune of "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" is a fun way to remember the body parts of an insect.

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How to Play Agents of Discovery at the Butterfly Grove

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How to Play Agents of Discovery at the Butterfly Grove

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Play from your backyard, inside the classroom, and even inside your home.  Follow these 6 easy steps, and use the triggers found below to play using your mobile device.

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Download and print this monarch life cycle coloring sheet and use the free Quiver app on your class devices to make your students' art creation come to life via Augmented Reality technology!

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Experience the immersive wonder of 3D Augmented Reality with engaging coloring experiences that let your creativity run wild.

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This informative video highlights the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove!

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The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

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Test your butterfly knowledge! (K-2nd grade)

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Test your butterfly knowledge! (K-2nd grade)

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Use our custom made quiz to test your students' knowledge in a fun, exciting way either before or after our program.

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Free gamified quizzes on every subject that students play in class and at home. Pick an existing quiz or create your own for review, formative assessment, and more.

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A photo of resting monarch butterflies on a Monterey Cypress tree at Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove (2016 season).

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For information about Pismo State Beach and the Monarch Butterfly Grove.

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Welcome to Pismo State Beach! Located along the beautiful Central Coast of California, Pismo State Beach has a pleasant year round climate making it ideal for outdoor recreation and exploring! Pismo State Beach offers visitors many diverse activites including: camping, surfing, swimming, fishing, bird watching, walking trails, a boardwalk through the dunes, a vistor center, free educational programs, a freshwater lagoon and the opportunity to observe Western Monarch Butterflies (November-February).

The dunes at the Pismo State Beach and to the south in the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dune Complex are considered the finest and most extensive along the California coast. Most of the sand that formed these dunes was carried down to the ocean by rivers and streams, deposited on the beach by ocean currents, and then shaped by the wind into the dunes seen today, a process that took millions of years.

The Chumash Indians lived in this area for thousands of years. Evidence of their presence can be seen in several locations in the dunes in the form of "middens," which are piles of shells left after the Chumash collected them for food. These middens are protected by state and federal law; please do not enter or disturb these areas.

In 1769, members of Gaspar de Portola's inland Spanish expedition traveled through our coastal dunes, encountering not only the Chumash but an area full of native black bears and grizzly bears. While Portola's group was traveling through Oso Flaco they tracked and killed the skinniest bear (un oso flaco) they had ever seen, giving the area its current name.

The Dunites were a primitive settlement of free thinkers, artists, writers, and mystics that lived in the dunes beginning in the 1930s. They predominantly lived in the area they named Moy Mel (Gaelic for "pastures of honey"). Many Dunites considered this area to have mystic vibrations. The last Dunite, Bert Schievink, died in 1974. The area today is still known by its given name and is a popular location in the park.

In 1934, California State Parks first aquired the land that is now know as the Oceano Campground. Over the following decades, more land was aquired and the Oceano Dunes District was formed. Today, the Oceano Dunes District includes Pismo State Beach and the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area.

Day Use

Day use hours are from 6:00am to 11:00pm. Day use passes are $5.00 per vehicle entering the beach. Passes may sell out on summer weekends and holidays.

Motor vehicles may access the beach at the end of West Grand Avenue located in Grover Beach. The speed limit on the beach is 15 MPH. It is strongly recommended that only those with four-wheel drive vehicles access the beach. For more information on beach camping and OHV use, please visit the website for Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreational Area by Click Here

Visitors wanting to access the beach by foot may park their vehicles in the lot located off of West Grand Avenue near Fin's Bar & Grill Restaurant. A boardwalk to the beach and public restrooms are available for visitors.

Camp fires are allowed on the beach but must not be greater than three feet in diameter and two feet in height. Only wood and untreated wood products free of metal, petroleum products or other toxic substances shall be used.

Dogs are also allowed on the beach but must be kept on a leash, not longer than six feet, at all times.

Camping

All camping reservations must be made online at ReserveCalifornia.com or by calling Reserve California at 1-800-444-7275 8:00am - 6:00pm Pacific Time (PT). Reservations are required during peak season and holiday weekends. Reservations may be made up to six months in advance, but they must be made at least 48 hours prior to arrival. Both campgrounds provide conventional amenities such restrooms, pay operated hot-showers, picnic tables and a camp fire ring.

In the summer months, Jr. Ranger Programs and Campfire Programs are held at the campfire center. Summer 2019 programming is cancelled due to campfire center upgrades. You can access online Jr Ranger program materials by North Beach Campground features tent camping facilities and a campfire center. Visitors can also access the beach from the campground and enjoy the the views along Carpenter Creek. The Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove is also accessible from the campground. Clicking Here or visit the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center.

Oceano Campground features both hook-up RV sites and tent camping sites. Visitors can access the beach from the campground, explore wildlife along a freshwater lagoon, and enjoy the Visitor Center. In the summer months, Jr. Ranger Programs and Campfire Programs are held at the campfire center.

Oceano Dunes District Visitor Center

Located at 555 Pier Avenue, at the entrance to the Oceano Campground, the newly remodeled Oceano Dunes Visitor Center is a one stop place to learn about the park and local area. Friendly staff and volunteers will help answer your questions about the park and local area. This interpretive center will introduce you to the history of the area, teach you about local wildlife and give you fun ideas for adventuring in the park! Kids can enjoy hands-on activities and pick up an interpretive activity booklet.

Park Programming

Pismo Clams are bivalves, which means they have two siphones and a two halfed shell. These clams bury themselves a few inches below the wet sand using their digging foot. The intake valve draws seawater into the body of the clam to capture diatoms, algae and plankton! In 1947, Pismo Beach deemed itself the "Clam Capital of the World". The Pismo Clam and the Pacific Razor Clam made up most of the catch by clammers. The largest Pismo Clam recorded in California came from Pismo Beach and was 7.37 inches across and estimated to be 26 years old. An influx of clammers and sea otters (natural predators to the Pismo Clam) led to the depletion of the Pismo Clam population. Pismo clam populations fluctuate dramatically due to a variety of natural influences.

A fragile and valuable resource, Pismo clams may be taken under the following regulations:

Clammers must have afishing licenseand an accurate (rigid) measuring device in possession.

Only Pismo clams at least4 1/2"in length may be possessed.

Undersized Pismo clams must be immediately reburied in the area where dug.

Bag limit is 10 Pismo clams.

Hours of clamming are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

The Pacific Razor Clam can be taken at all times during the year, with a valid fishing licence. There is a limit of 20 clams per person.

Surf fishing is a popular activity along the shoreline here at Pismo Beach State Beach. A fishing licence is required. For information on licensing, species, size, and take limits, please visit California Fish and Wildlife at www.wildlife.ca.gov. The ocean can be dangerous and unpredictable. Never turn your back on the waves and be aware of your surrounding at all times while fishing. Sand bars are evershifting and strong ripcurrents are prevalent along this coastline.

The Oceano Lagoon is located behind the Oceano Dunes Visitor Center and the Oceano Campground. A fishing licence is required. F or information on licensing, species, size, and take limits , please visit California Fish and Wildlife at www.wildlife.ca.gov. There is an ADA accesible fishing platform.

California State Parks is piloting a new iOS mobile app in 8 parks around the state. If you visit Pismo State Beach, download OuterSpatial and try it out! This new app gives you information about amazing destinations - including special events, maps, photos, and official trail guides- right at your fingertips.
For more information on the pilot program and to download the app directly from the Apple store, visit OuterSpatial ( http://bit.ly/PismoCSPapp). Tag us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
#CAStateParks and #InventYourAdventure #CAStateParksOuterSpatial

There are ADA accessible restrooms at Grand Avenue and Pier Avenue beach access ramps. Sand wheel chairs are available at all park entrance stations. There is an ADA accessible boardwalk with viewing platforms that begins at Grand Avenue and travels north the foredunes. California State Parks supports equal access. Visitors who need assistance should contact the Oceano Dunes District Ranger Station at (805) 473-7220 or 711 TYY relay service prior to arrival.

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California State Parks, State of California

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Welcome to Pismo State Beach! Located along the beautiful Central Coast of California, Pismo State Beach has a pleasant year round climate making it ideal for outdoor recreation and exploring! Pismo State Beach offers visitors many diverse activites including: camping, surfing, swimming, fishing, bird watching, walking trails, a boardwalk through the dunes, a vistor center, free educational programs, a freshwater lagoon and the opportunity to observe Western Monarch Butterflies (November-February).

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Close up video of a monarch butterfly at Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove (2019).

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Download and print this free bookmark for students.

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This informative 12-page PDF is full of fun butterfly facts, great science information, and tips on how YOU can become a community scientist and help solve the mystery behind the monarch population crash.
Thank you Rubber Duck Lab for compiling this resource (https://www.rubberducklab.com)

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Test your butterfly knowledge! (3rd-6th grade)

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Test your butterfly knowledge! (3rd-6th grade)

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Use our custom made quiz to test your students' knowledge in a fun, exciting way either before or after our program.

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Free gamified quizzes on every subject that students play in class and at home. Pick an existing quiz or create your own for review, formative assessment, and more.

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If your class is unable to participate in our live virtual field trip, you can share this recorded video with your students that covers the same content for the 6th - 8th grade levels.

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Printable Kids Newsletter about Monarchs

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Printable Kids Newsletter about Monarchs

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Download and Print this to let your students read and learn about the monarchs.

Wildlife Express is published by the Idaho Fish and Game.

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Lesson Plans from National Geographic on Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

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Lesson Plans from National Geographic on Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle

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Media Credits

The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.

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Monarch Butterfly Life Cycle and Migration

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Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit. The Rights Holder for media is the person or group credited.