Monarchs 911 

By Amy Buskey

It’s official – our beloved monarch butterfly has entered the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Endangered Species. While the official classification of monarchs as being endangered may be troubling to many, this official status brings new opportunities of hope for this species. And it could not have come at a better time. With the ongoing crippling drought which will undoubtedly impact the monarch populations this year, these insects need all the help they can get. According to Eduardo Rendon-Salinas, WWF-Mexico’s monarch butterfly expert, collaboration is key. 

‘The governments of Canada, the United States, and Mexico have the scientific basis to collaborate with conservation organizations, the private sector, and civil society in all the initiatives that seek to restore, conserve, and sustainably manage the ecosystems for the reproduction, migration, and overwintering of this emblematic species.’

There are many challenges for monarchs, and it will most certainly take the efforts of every group dedicated to their survival all the way down to individuals who pay attention to what is in their own backyard. Here in the United States, the main driving factor of the monarchs’ decline is pesticides. They have been used for decades and as a result, has wiped out much of the milkweed which monarch larvae needs to feed on. Rebuilding milkweed ‘groves’ is obviously key to giving monarchs a chance, and then protecting those groves as being downright sacred. Milkweed plants should certainly be considered just as threatened as the monarch itself. 

In my own yard, I made sure when early spring was rolling around that our landscaping service folks were aware of emerging milkweed, and not to remove any of it. Individually, every single one of us that has even the slightest interest in gardening can begin to build back populations of milkweed. And it is exceptionally easy, as the plants are rugged, adaptable, and readily available. 

Fall is the perfect time to plant as the extremes of summer heat has passed, and new plants still have plenty of time to get established. Look within your own communities for native milkweed plants; get in touch with garden clubs and individual gardeners for established plants which will easily take hold in your garden. Go for the good stuff – swamp milkweed, is far more attractive than common milkweed, and has minimal sap.

Beyond the backyard and of far more importance, is that of mass planting, particularly along our highways. More states are getting onboard with planting milkweed and nectar-rich wildflowers for monarchs, and what better place to do so than along bleak, barren stretches of road. It is these ‘corridors’ that can provide substantial areas of food for our traveling monarchs. Cutting everything down along highways seems to be a colossal waste of time and money, with zero benefit. 

While it’s important to add them into our own landscapes, it is in these large stretches that more ground can be gained in building back milkweed. Many folks raise monarchs in captivity, including myself, but doing so does not have significant impact on their overall populations. Initially, that fact did not make sense–only one egg out of one hundred makes it all the way to becoming a butterfly. Collecting hundreds of eggs and releasing hundreds of butterflies every season should have an impact, but the truth is, the impact is limited to my yard. While doing so is incredibly fascinating and saves monarchs on a small scale, it is in reestablishing their food supply that will help preserve the species long term. 

Circling back to the challenges, Mexico has had the task of preserving the overwintering grounds that monarchs travel to each fall. Why are these grounds so important? It is here that the ‘rolling’ multi-generational migration ends up to rest, and then carries on into future generations. At the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, monarchs congregate by the millions in the oyamel trees. By the start of spring, monarchs are ready to mate and migrate back to the U.S. They fly another 1,000 miles to lay their eggs only on milkweed plants, which will eventually serve as a food source for the caterpillars. Forest degradation was once a big problem in the butterfly’s Mexican reserve, but combined efforts toward sustainability and collaborations with local communities have fortunately kept this threat at bay. It also serves as a perfect example of what can be accomplished when people work together. 

Adding the monarch to the endangered species list is a good thing because it will now bring the awareness that is so desperately needed to give the species a chance. And since we (humankind) have been the driving force behind their decline, it is now up to us to intervene. Much like the decline of bald eagles through the use of DDT, and the huge comeback through changed human behavior, we can do the same with the monarchs. But it is going to take time, effort, and ongoing collaboration. Eduardo Rendon-Salinas said it best. 

‘We have the science, we have the answers; Now it is up to us to take action.” 

Nature is calling on us right now to intervene, and it is in fact an emergency.

Amy Buskey is a wildlife rehabilitator (Rhode Island), a conservationist, and citizen scientist. She can be reached at [email protected]