Earth Day Education with Wings of Change
Join Wings of Change for Earth Day education at the Fallbrook Public Library for Earth Day education. Help bring the monarch butterflies back! Please visit our Earth Day Festival to purchase milkweed plants, and participate in STEM craft activities for all ages. Pre-register for our education to reserve your spot.
Butterfly of the Month – Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
The Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is well known for its spectacular two-way migration to our coastline each winter. This was first recorded in the 1800s. The beautiful orange and black butterfly was once prolific in the United States, Canada, and Mexico but is now internationally endangered. Monarch Butterflies weighing less than a paper clip can travel up to 3,000 miles one way to arrive at their winter vacation destinations along the coast of California and Mexico. For centuries, its annual winter migration to the Pacific Coast creates wonder. The monarch butterfly migration is considered a natural phenomenon and is likely to vanish without our help.
Monarch Migration
Every year in the fall, the butterflies come by the thousands to overwinter in California and Mexico, staying for a period called diapause. We have several spots near Fallbrook that are overwintering areas for the monarch butterfly, you can see the number of butterflies counted in each location on this map. Usually in the months of November through March, the butterflies will hang together in tall trees like fir and eucalyptus protecting themselves against the harsh winter conditions. During this time, the butterflies will rarely do more than shelter together in the trees. When warm weather arrives, the butterflies hear the call of nature and, come together to mate, and then journey to their final resting place. The females leave full of eggs, ready to start the next life cycle in the newness of spring. They are off to start the next generation and begin again.
What We Can Do to Help
The Monarch Butterfly is internationally endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This is largely due to the lack of habitat, or more easily put, lack of milkweed. Monarch butterflies will only lay their larvae on milkweed, there are 73 different kinds in the United States! on Earth Day BE THE CHANGE! Plant milkweed in your yard to help protect this beautiful species. Wherever you are in the US, Canada, or Mexico there is a milkweed that is native to your area and will likely grow without much care. It got its “weed” name for a reason! Allow the milkweed space in your garden near another flower in bloom to create a habitat for the monarch butterfly. It’s that simple. Together we are 
Wings of Change.
Earth Day Festival and Plant Sale
We invite you to our Earth Day Festival and Earth Day Education in Fallbrook on April 22. Check out our upcoming events for more details. Discover more about the plants we have available for presale:
Caterpillar Chow grows 4″ milkweed plants and several varieties. Each plant comes in a pot that can be placed directly into the ground. Less stress on the plants and zero waste!
Narrow Leaf Milkweed (Asclepias fascicularis) is a California native milkweed that is common in the western United States.
Woolly Milkweed (Asclepias vestita) is endemic to California, where it grows in many habitats across the state, from mountains to deserts to valleys.
Skeleton Milkweed (Asclepias subulata) is a species of milkweed known commonly as the rush milkweed or ajamete and is native to the desert southwest of the United States and northern Mexico
Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) this type of milkweed is only recommended for southern gardens as it may contribute to OE in other areas.
Larger sizes may be available, please inquire for availability.