Monarch Butterflies Migrate In Masses
to the Ragged Point Inn and Resort

Monarch butterflies have been migrating to Ragged Point for many many years but in recent years the Ragged Point Inn has been promoting the growth of some of their favorite varieties of flowers in their ornamental gardens.
Although they will visit any color they seem to be attracted by blue and purplish blue the most. You can find the butterflies favorites in the gardens of the Ragged Point Inn Hotel and the Ragged Point Inn Restaurant; plants like the Pride of Madera and Blue Sage attract hundreds at a time.

 

This photograph is of a medium sized pride of Madera plant in the garden of the Ragged Point Inn's Restaurant. The plant which is blooming profusely is one of the Monarch's favorites. Ragged Point Inn and Resort has many of these plants and they are one of the main reasons that the Monarchs stop at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort. Numerous butterflies can be seen feeding on the plants sunny side. Click to enlarge photo.

Shown on the left is Pride of Madera Plant at Ragged Point Inn's Restaurant in full bloom in the Winter on right, a closer look.
Although madera means butterfly in Spanish this favorite of the Monarchs and tourists as well is a Mediterranean import named after an island off of Greece, Madera, from which it comes.
 
 This is a close photo taken at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort Hotel Restaurant showing the Pride of Madera flower spike and female Monarch Butterflies enjoying some nectar. The butterflies can be identified as females because of the large veins on the lower wings. Click photo to enlarge.
This photo taken at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort Hotel is a male Monarch Butterfly. The male Monarch is distinguished by the thin vein lines on the rear wings and the spots to the left and right of the abdomen also on the rear wings. The females in contrast have thick veins and no spots on the rear wings. Monarch butterflies migrate through Ragged Point yearly by the thousands because of the volume of attractive flowers available in the ornamental gardens of the Ragged Point Restaurant and Ragged Point Inn Resort Hotel. Click to enlarge photo.

Great numbers of the monarchs are attracted to the gardens around the Ragged Point Inn Hotel and Ragged Point Inn Restaurant and it is delightful the way they will fill the air fluttering all around you but what is really impressive is their habit of gathering together by the thousands to fend off the chill of the evening on Monterey Cypress trees just off of the property. When they do this they can almost completely cover the trees foliage so all that can be seen is solid masses of butterflies.
A photograph of Monarch butterflies massed on a tree in an effort to keep warm. The butterflies are so heavy on the tree that almost no foliage can be seen. Click photo to enlarge. This is a close up shot of Monarch butterflies massed on the foliage of a tree. Click photo to enlarge.
This photograph taken at Ragged Point Inn and Resort shows how the Monarch butterflies are attracted to the blue salvia that is grown at Ragged Point. In the background are the iconic Ragged Point Inn Hotel Wedding Pagoda and the Pacific Ocean. Click photo to enlarge.

 

Great numbers of the monarch butterflies appear at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort starting in late October and a few are still seen on Ragged Point Inn's property as late as February. They are seen in the photo on the left enjoying nectar from another of their favorites, a blue salvia. The Ragged Point Inn Hotel Wedding Pagoda can be seen in the background and just off to the left of Ragged Point Inn's Wedding Pagoda is one of Ragged Point's Giant Pride of Madera plants probably the main reason that Ragged Point is so popular with the Monarchs.
This photo taken at Ragged Point shows two Monarch butterflies mating on a Lion's tail plant. Winter is the mating season for Monarchs but is a rare event to see them doing it at Ragged Point. Click photo to enlarge.

Late fall also signals the beginning of the monarch mating season. After mating they will continue their migratory journey to find the right place to lay their eggs.
The Monarchs migration can cover three countries, Mexico, the U.S., and Canada and will take three generations to complete. These most amazing creatures can travel 80 miles a day and single insects have been known to travel up to 2,000 miles. Monarch butterflies have also been seen flying up to 4,000 feet high.

 






Summary Conclusion: Description: "Butterfly Gardens: Monarch Butterflies on pride of madera at the Ragged Point Inn and Resort Hotel near Hearst Castle, San Simeon, Big Sur,CA. Unique photographs of monarch butterflies on giant pride of madera plants, flowering purple sage plants and other flowers; a rate picture of monarch butterflies mating; information about the how the monarch butterflies migrate to the ornamental butterfly gardens of the Ragged Point Inn and Resort; better bring your camera to Ragged Point in the late fall early winter and capture a magnificent monarch butterfly experience! The Ragged Point Inn and Resort Hotel's Butterfly Gardens attract thousands of Monarch Butterflies starting October. Categories: monarch butterfly migration pride of madera, flowers at ragged point inn, monarch butterfly resort, monarch butterfly's winter resort, pride of madera plant, butterfly garden near san simeon butterflies butterfly gardens big sur Tags: pride of madera plant flowers at ragged point inn monarch butterfly butterflies fall winter garden california hotel hotels motel motels resorts pacific coast highway one pch 1 big sur san simeon lodging accommodations hearst castle ocean view ocean view hotel inns restaurant


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