Katharina Buczek
On July 21, the International Union for Conversation of Nature (IUCN) designated the migratory monarch butterfly as endangered and placed the insect on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Global populations have plummeted between twenty-two and seventy-two percent, with western populations plunging ninety-nine percent.
The species has been struggling due to various environmental stressors– including habitat loss, a decrease in food availability, and rising temperatures that have impacted migratory patterns.
And while people around the globe may feel helpless in saving the famous butterfly, there is actually a lot that community members can do at home.
In your own backyard, you can stop using pesticides immediately. The harmful chemicals can not only damage the butterflies’ food sources but also kill the monarchs altogether.
Planting milkweed in your yard can also greatly support migrating monarchs by providing them with a safe food source.
The plant can be found across North America, so you do not have to worry about introducing an invasive plant species.
Native milkweed plants can be found across the United States using this Milkweed Finder tool courtesy of Xerces Society.
And if you are open to planting milkweed on your property, you might also be interested in propagating an entire monarch habitat.
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