I recently talked about our visit to the beautiful Monarch Grove in Pismo Beach. You can read more about it here. It is simply wondrous to watch the monarch butterflies literally shimmering and glowing all around and above us. And do you know what a group of butterflies is called? A kaleidoscope! So very apt, right?!
Just like a kaleidoscope is a continually changing pattern of shapes and colors, these hundreds, no, thousands of butterflies together create a breathing, living, shimmering, ever-changing pattern of vivid oranges and blacks and whites. They are literally like jewels when the sunlight shines through or on them.
Alternatively, a group of butterflies is also called a swarm, a flight, a rabble, or even by the very cool “flutter!” I also learned, more specifically, that a cluster of butterflies (like when the monarchs come together in these locations as part of the great migration) is called a roost or a bivouac.
On a side note, I hope to be able to go to Pacific Grove (see bookish connections below as well) before the monarchs head out from the area.
This pic and the kaleidoscopic title is my entry towards Six Word Saturday hosted by Debbie at Travel With Intent.
Bookish Connections to the Royal Kaleidoscope
Soon after our visit, I somehow ended up posting about a book I read ages ago on my IG feed.
The book: Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary. The occasion: Universal Letter Writing Week (on January 11th). The book’s setting: Pacific Grove, California. The connection: the Monarchs, of course!! Here are a couple of passages where Cleary talks about them:
Another bookish connection to the monarch butterflies lands me once again in the same town where Cleary set her book. This time, the book is Sweet Thursday by John Steinbeck. Naturally, Steinbeck is a California native, and many of his books take us to the Monterey area. Here, in Sweet Thursdays, we find ourselves in Cannery Row, and spend a few chapters in Pacific Grove as well.
Steinbeck writes:
And Now, the End of This Post
Dear reader, have you seen the monarchs migrating? If yes, do share your experience of the same. What about the books I mention today? Have you read them?
I have not seen the monarchs migrating, it must be amazing to watch.
I haven’t seen a butterfly kaleidoscope but I can imagine it is amazing. Such a pretty picture!
I have never seen it but I am picturing it in my head right now and it looks amazing.
That picture of Butterflies is beautiful, and I can’t wait to show it to my son who loves Butterflies as much as I do. Thank you, for sharing and if we were closer, we would visit them in person.