The population numbers of the beloved Monarch Butterfly are rapidly decreasing, and scientists are working hard this September to save the species.
Monarch butterflies depend solely on the milkweed plant to survive. Milkweed, however, has been disappearing, due to the increased use of the weed killer, Roundup, over the past ten to twenty years. That, combined with more general trends of habitat loss, various effects of climate change, and challenges like the drought in California, has resulted in a ninety percent population decline for monarchs in the past two decades. Scientists currently estimate a global population of around 33 million monarch butterflies, down from over one billion in the past.
Monarch Butterfly Migration Season
There are several factors at work that also complicate the picture. Monarch butterflies are one of the only two-way migratory species other than birds. Every spring, they embark on a 3,000 mile journey north from the mountains of Mexico and return in the fall. The migration can make it a little harder to accurately estimate population numbers; even so, the severity of the decline is not accounting a slip-up.
September marks the start of the southbound butterfly migration season, and scientists are capitalizing on the timing to bring awareness to the species. There have been petitions in the past to include the monarch butterfly on the endangered species list, and though they aren’t currently on it, their status is carefully monitored.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a well-funded five-year plan in August for monarch butterfly habitat restoration. Local museums and community science groups are also working to educate people about the monarch butterfly’s role as a keystone species–they have a disproportionately large amount of importance in their ecosystems in relation to the population size of their species. Monarchs pollinate dozens of beautiful flowers throughout their adult lives that you would be sure to miss if their numbers get too low. They’re also educational and cultural icons, making appearances in weddings, memorials, classrooms, movies and more, in addition to their role as the official insect of eight different US states.
How To Help
You can play a part in preserving the monarch butterfly population by planting native milkweed in your backyard garden to serve as a “Monarch Waystation” during migration season, especially if you live in the Midwest. Look for local opportunities to educate yourself and enjoy the beautiful bugs like nature discovery hikes or gardening tutorials. Or maybe, rent a copy of the 2012 Canadian cult classic (or at least, extremely pleasant and well-received documentary) Flight of the Butterflies and curl up on the couch with a fellow nature-lover.
