The Sanctuary
What is a butterfly sanctuary? It is a protected area designed specifically to feed, breed and display butterflies with an emphasis on education. A sanctuary must be safe from butterfly enemies, sunlit, and entirely organic. It recognizes the essential freedom of butterflies - unlike butterfly farms, which enclose the butterflies completely. Sanctuaries are especially well suited for the Western Monarch found only in California which do not migrate between Canada and Mexico as other species of Monarchs do. For those that do migrate, butterfly waystations are most commonly used to feed the butterflies on their long journey.
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Monarchs have few enemies. The most dangerous one is humans, whose constant use of pesticides has endangered them as a species. All butterfly sanctuaries are built with completely organic plants in and around the enclosure. In early spring, Monarchs search for native milkweed. It is their only food and the only place where they lay their eggs. Once they have found the sanctuary, they will return again and again to that site to breed.
The Ocean Hills Butterfly Sanctuary located in “The Park” meets all those criteria. In addition, it adds a beautiful garden to our community. While the center of the garden is devoted to the Monarchs, the surrounding gardens attract many other butterflies with nectar producing plants. The sanctuary will attract Painted Ladies, Cloudless Sulphurs, Cabbage Whites, Mourning Cloaks, and Swallowtails. Visit our Home Gardens page for descriptions of these butterflies.
Residents are welcome to stroll along the garden path or sit on benches to watch the magnificent life cycle of the butterflies – from egg, to caterpillar, to chrysalis, to adult. All of this occurs within the 6 weeks of the Monarch life span.
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Other butterflies have the same cycle, and photos of those steps are found on the Home Gardens page.
To ensure that the garden truly is a sanctuary, no pets will be allowed into the enclosure. Residents are asked to make sure the gate is always closed after entering and leaving. The Sanctuary will be closed at sunset and reopened at 9 a.m.
