Monarch Butterfly Crisis
The monarch butterfly is a species in crisis!
Each fall, eastern monarchs (east of the Rockies) travel to central Mexico, while western monarchs migrate to the California Coast, where they over-winter before returning for breeding.
Eastern monarch update:
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All in all, monarchs had a bad year due to a sequence of unfavorable weather events (e.g. droughts in Texas) and late arrival at the overwintering sites. While low numbers are something of a concern, in recent years monarchs recovered from low numbers in 2012 (1.19 ha), 2013 (0.67 ha) and 2014 (1.13 ha). They can do so again given improved weather conditions and preservation of their habitat.
Western monarch update:
For the Thanksgiving period (weeks before heavy rains battered the California coast), the Xerces Society reported 335,479 butterflies counted. The results were a welcome reprieve from a total of less than 2,000 individuals counted in 2020. Yet the butterflies remain far from the low millions seen in the 1980s, and their recovery remains vulnerable to pressures like habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change.
For the New Year's period, the western monarch count results revealed a 58% seasonal decrease in the overwintering western monarch population. Although the overall number of western monarchs counted for the New Year’s count remains relatively high compared to recent years — with more than 116,000 butterflies reported — the 58% seasonal decrease exceeds the typical range of 35–49% observed over the previous six winters.
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All types of native bees are also in decline. Many of the plants that grow in our environment depend on bees for pollination. They pollinate flowers, fruits, and vegetables and their services provide food for the butterflies. Help preserve our environment . . . learn how to add plants to your garden to attract butterflies and help pollinators. Click here for your Butterfly/Bee Guide to plant preferences.
