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Monarch Butterflies Appear To Be Thriving Despite California Drought

FREMONT (KPIX 5) – Lawns may be going brown across California during this drought, but the beautiful monarch butterflies have caught a lucky break.

Hard to believe such a delicate creature could benefit from the drought, it's because folks are planting more drought resistant plants.

"People are planting a lot of native flowers, native milkweed and that's wonderful because that's what our butterflies need when they come here," said Jenna Scimeca, a naturalist with the East Bay Regional Parks.

Milkweed is key for the survival of monarch butterflies.

"They will only lay their eggs on milkweed. It can be any type and there are hundreds of varieties found throughout the world," Scimeca explained.

Local nurseries are having a tough time keeping up with the demand of the drought resistant milkweed. Native California milkweed has become so popular that last weekend at Berkeley Horticulture, they were completely sold out."

"Hopefully, there'll be more in this week. We have them ordered," said Griff Hulsey of Berkeley Horticulture.

While the plants are in short supply, the seeds are not.

At Ardenwood Farm in Fremont, the seasonal monarch migration hasn't really started. But in a few weeks these trees will have hundreds of thousands of monarchs, and the drought resistant food will be waiting.

"Once the eggs hatch and the caterpillar emerges, they do nothing but gorge themselves on milkweed leaves," Scimeca said.

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