When I was growing up, seeing a Monarch butterfly was something I took for granted.
I would see the brilliant orange and black butterflies on a daily basis throughout the summer.
Monarchs were common in our yard, stopping on brightly-colored flowers to sip nectar. I remember chasing them with a butterfly net, rarely being to catch one.
Never in my mind would I have thought one day Monarchs would be considered endangered.
Yet, that’s what happened this month when the International Union for the Conservation of Nature added the migratory monarch butterfly to its Red List of threatened species.
The migratory Monarch butterfly is now considered an endangered species.
The Endangered Migratory Monarch Butterfly
According to the press release, habitat loss in Mexico and California, declining number of milkweed host plants as well as climate change have impacted the migratory Monarch.
The numbers are shocking:
- The western population of the migratory Monarch is estimated to have declined 99.9%, from as many as 10 million to 1,914 butterflies between the 1980s and 2021
- The eastern population shrunk 84% between 1996 and 2014
Their press release shares signs of hope:
So many people and organisations have come together to try and protect this butterfly and its habitats.
From planting native milkweed and reducing pesticide use to supporting the protection of overwintering sites and contributing to community science, we all have a role to play in making sure this iconic insect makes a full recovery,
My Search for the Monarch Butterfly
After the press release came out, I decided to make a more concerted effort to see a Monarch. I often see butterflies when I’m birding; this summer I’ve decided to pay more attention to orange and black butterflies.
Especially when I’m near milkweed, which is where Monarchs lay their eggs.
My first sighting yesterday morning while I was birdwatching had me excited.
A bright orange and black butterfly near the thistle, milkweed, and jewelweed of a wetland.
Another birder near me exclaimed, “Did you see the Monarch?”
“I did!” I replied as I quickly took some photos.
Only to discover when I reviewed the photos at home, we were both wrong.
It wasn’t a Monarch we saw, rather it was a Viceroy.
Which looks very similar to the Monarch, a bit smaller with a black line on the hindwing.
It’s the black line that looks like a border, a bit further inside the edge of the white-dotted black wing.
Off I went in search of the Monarch again today.
Success!
I managed to find one at the third birding site I visited. Near the field where I often find Eastern Meadowlarks and Dickcissels singing in late spring/early summer.
A single Monarch butterfly, after visiting 7 of my local birding locations. Each location had a large number of butterflies visiting the wildflowers.
Have you seen any Monarchs near your home? Or the places you visit?
