Protecting the Monarch Butterfly

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the leading authority worldwide on the status of biological diversity, declared the monarch butterfly an endangered species last month. Unfortunately, this butterfly has been threatened for many years, but it has been officially announced at risk of extinction. We are in danger of losing this beautiful, iconic butterfly forever.

Its status on the Red List – the IUCN's inventory of the conservation status of a species – is due to a combination of factors. Climate change is one, with dramatic and powerful weather events like drought and hurricanes becoming more common along the southern migration routes of the monarch. Habitat destruction is another, as forests on the east and west coasts have been decimated. The last reason is the increased use of pesticides and herbicides in agriculture. These factors have led to the overall population declining between 23 and 72 percent over the past ten years.

How You Can Help

Synonymous with summer, monarch butterflies appear in backyards across the country. It's this very fact that means everyone, no matter where they live, can help. One crucial step is to eliminate using pesticides in your garden and yard as these ingredients contain glyphosate, an herbicide that kills milkweed. To promote biodiversity and enable the natural migration pattern of monarchs, plant milkweed native to your region in your yard.

Fortunately, monarchs are a resilient species; insects reproduce rapidly, so if some of the threats are reduced, butterflies can quickly bounce back. Organizations including Monarch Watch and Save Our Monarchs are dedicated to researching and conserving the monarch butterfly. Visit their websites to learn more about other ways you can help.

Fun Facts About the Monarch Butterfly

This butterfly is an experienced traveler. Monarchs make the 2,500-mile journey across North America between their summer and winter grounds twice a year. Every year, they return to the same forests; some even make a home on the same tree their ancestors landed on.
The bright coloring warns potential predators, "I'm poisonous – don't eat me." They get this poison from the milkweed plant, their primary food source in the caterpillar stage of development. While animals will probably not die if they eat a monarch, it will make them very sick.
Their scientific name, Danaus plexippus, literally means "sleepy transformation" in the Greek language. Their name is representative of the species' ability to hibernate and metamorphize.