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Milkweed and the Monarch
Following the plight of the Monarch |
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November 6, 2022:Monarchs seen in Mexico
Annual Mexico Migration |
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"The first monarch butterflies have appeared in the mountaintop forests of central Mexico where they spend the winter, Mexico’s Environment Department said Saturday.
"The first butterflies have been seen exploring the mountaintop reserves in the states of Mexico and Michoacan, apparently trying to decide where to settle this year. "The monarchs have shown up a few days late this year. Normally they arrive for the Day of the Dead observances on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Mountainside communities long associated the orange-and-black butterflies with the returning souls of the dead." |
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August 8, 2022:The monarch butterfly is scientifically endangered. So why isn't it legally protected yet?
The monarch butterfly is scientifically endangered |
| "People might think that it’s a listing of ‘endangered’ under the Endangered Species Act, which is not true,” says Green. “The IUCN recognizes many more species as endangered compared to the Endangered Species Act, so monarchs are not the only one that are in this situation.” |
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July 21, 2022:Scientists list the monarch butterfly as endangered
Beloved monarch butterflies now listed as endangered |
| "The monarch butterfly fluttered a step closer to extinction Thursday, as scientists put the iconic orange-and-black insect on the endangered list because of its fast dwindling numbers." |
| Older articles following the photographs |
| The Milkweed Plant |
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The Milkweed plant (Asclepias spp.) is the primary host plant for the Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus).
In California, a big push has been on for several years for home owners to plant milkweed in their gardens. Calscape lists nine confirmed California Asclepias species as host plants. Consult your local nursery to see which are best for your area: Calscape |
| The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has written that the recognized decline of the Monarch Butterfly is "likely due to a combination of factors, from habitat loss due to development, changing agricultural practices, and invasive species, to pesticide exposure and climate change ..." |
| In the Southern Sierra Nevada, California, the milkweed habitat has not succumbed to big agriculture and development as much. Throughout the area in non-developed areas, there are four native species of Asclepias for the Monarch (Danaus plexippus). |
| Photographs from Kern and Tulare counties |
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| More Photographs of Danaus plexippus |
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| Previous Articles |
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June 3, 2022:Monarch butterflies are emerging despite global warming, drought and wildfires
Monarch butterflies are emerging |
| "Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) of North America are making a miraculous comeback despite global warming, habitat destruction and drought." |
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December 6, 2021:Wings and a prayer: Monarch surge brings hope for butterfly recovery
Wings-and-a-prayer-Monarch-surge |
| "The butterflies are back. Specifically, the Western monarch butterfly – more than 20,000 of them hanging in clusters from branches in elegant eucalyptus trees or fluttering around this conservation grove on the central California coast." |
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February 25, 2021: Monarch butterflies down 26% in Mexico wintering grounds
Monarch butterflies down 26% in Mexico wintering grounds |
| "The number of monarch butterflies that showed up at their winter resting grounds in central Mexico decreased by about 26% this year, and four times as many trees were lost to illegal logging, drought and other causes, making 2020 a bad year for the butterflies." |
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December 15, 2020:Feds Delay Monarch Butterfly Protection
Feds Delay Monarch Butterfly Protection |
| "Federal officials on Tuesday declared the monarch butterfly "a candidate" for threatened or endangered status, but said no action would be taken for several years because of the many other species awaiting that designation." |
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March 13, 2020:Mexico: Monarch butterflies drop 53% in wintering area
Mexico: Monarch butterflies drop 53% in wintering area |
| "The number of monarch butterflies that showed up at their winter resting grounds decreased about 53% this year, Mexican officials said Friday." |
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August 13, 2019:The plight of the monarchs: Trump order weakens protections The plight of the monarchs: Trump order weakens protections |
| "Monarchs are in trouble, despite efforts by Moore and countless other volunteers and organizations across the United States to nurture the beloved butterfly. The Trump administration's new order weakening the Endangered Species Act could well make things worse for the monarch, one of more than 1 million species that are struggling around the globe." |
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July 3, 2019:Western Monarch Population Plummets: Western Monarch Population Plummets: |
| "Western monarch butterflies dropped by ~97% of their average historic abundance between the 1980s and mid-2010s. In winter 2018-2019, the population plummeted even farther, to fewer than 30,000 monarchs, which represents a single year drop of 86% and a drop of >99% since the 1980s. The population may now be hovering at its quasi-extinction threshold." |
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April 20, 2018: Predicting monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) movement and egg-laying with a spatially-explicit agent-based model: The role of monarch perceptual range and spatial memory Predicting monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) movement |
| "An ~80% decline in the eastern population of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) has prompted conservation efforts to increase summer reproductive success in the Midwest United States. Implementation of conservation practices will create a patchwork of milkweed (mainly Asclepias spp.) habitat within agricultural landscapes dominated by corn and soybean production." |
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November 1, 2017: Bicycling biologist pedals 10,000 miles along the Monarch butterfly's migration route Bicycling biologist pedals 10,000 miles |
| "Wildlife biologist Sara Dykman is pedaling her way from the mountainous forests of southwestern Mexico to Canada and back, stopping at schools and wildlife centers to raise awareness about the migratory insect." |
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February 14, 2017: Monarchs Still Need Your Help
Monarchs-Still-Need-Your-Help |
| "The number of western monarchs counted this year was slightly greater than last year, but so was the army of volunteers. More than 100 volunteers monitored a record 253 sites and estimated western monarch numbers at nearly 300,000 butterflies. Despite the large effort to count monarchs, numbers were down at many of the historically large sites. This is the single greatest effort since the count began in 1997 and likely accounts for the increase in western monarchs compared to last year." |
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September 10, 2016: How Illinois plans to help save the Monarch butterfly
How Illinois plans to help save the Monarch butterfly. 9/10/2016 |
| "As the monarch butterfly population continues to dwindle, conservation efforts and campaigns to increase awareness have increased, particularly in Illinois, which lies on one of the insect's migration paths." |
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August 29, 2016: Questions arise about the success of Monarch Rebounding
Are monarch butterflies dwindling or rebounding? 8/29/2016 |
| "Despite reports of an encouraging rebound in the butterfly's population earlier this year, butterfly counts this summer are coming up short." |
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March 1, 2016: Reports from Mexico are optimistic about the Monarch's Recovery.
Mexico's Monarch Population is Rebounding - 3/1/2016 |
| "An estimated 140 million monarch butterflies spent the winter in Mexico this year, a significant increase from last year. What conservation efforts went into this progress?" |
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September 28, 2015: The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced grants to help the poor Monarch and its dwindling food supply for the larva:
NFWF Announces $3.3 Million in Grants from Monarch Butterfly Conservation Fund - September 28, 2015 |
| "The 22 grants, which will be matched by more than $6.7 million in guaranteed contributions, will support the restoration of up to 33,000 acres of [native milkweed] habitat in areas identified by experts as key to monarch recovery." |
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