Bring Back the Monarchs!

When a monarch butterfly comes fluttering through your yard, grab your camera. Marvel at it beauty, celebrate its presence, and keep it in your memory. It may be become an endangered species the way things are going.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation recently reported that the monarch population has declined by more than 90 percent in under 20 years. And, “during the same period it is estimated that these once-common iconic orange and black butterflies may have lost more than 165 million acres of habitat — an area about the size of Texas — including nearly a third of their summer breeding grounds.”

So a trio—Center for Biological Diversity, Center for Food Safety, and the Xerces Society—filed a legal petition asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for Endangered Species status to protect the monarch (Danaus plexippus).

The widespread loss of milkweed, the butterfly's host plant, especially throughout the Midwest, is troubling.

Butterfly expert Art Shapiro, distinguished professor of evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis,  says there's plenty of milkweek in Northern California. “The problem is that nobody's there to breed on it.” For example, he sees large spreads of milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) around his many monitoring sites, including one by the Vacaville (Calif.) Transit Center. “Probably 75 stems, but I have never ever seen a monarch there, let alone any evidence of breeding." (See his entry on monarchs on his website.)

So, a monarch's solo visit to our little bee garden seems like a major event. When we see one, as we did Sept. 17, it heads straight for the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia).

Backlit, the monarch resembles a stained glass window. What a gorgeous butterfly, worthy of the royal name, “monarch!”

The only question is: will we consider it worthy enough to save it?

• Plant milkweed, its host plant.
• Avoid insecticides or herbicides.
• Become a citizen scientist and help record sightings.
• Support conservation efforts. 
• Promote public awareness.

The Xerces Society's information on its website on the mighty monarch should be required reading, as should be this website: Monarch Watch.