Monarch Butterfly Crisis: What You Can Do to Make a Difference

The monarch butterfly needs our help now more than ever, and it is surprisingly easy to aid in conservation efforts.

Why Monarch Butterflies Are in Decline

The monarch butterfly population has been in decline for more than two decades. Both the Eastern Monarch and Western Monarch have seen devastating drops in numbers over the years. Loss of habitat, the growing use of pesticides, and increases in severe weather have resulted in the decline.

In California, where the Western Monarch Butterflies overwinter, and conservationists have been tracking the species' population since 1997, there were only 9,119 Western Monarchs counted. This marks the second-lowest population ever recorded in nearly 30 years, according to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation.

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The Monarch’s Role in Our Ecosystem

The monarch butterfly is a species that plays a critical role in our ecosystem. They work alongside bees and other pollinators, contributing to the reproduction of both flowering and edible plants. As CBS's 60 Minutes points out, genetically modified crops have essentially wiped agricultural lands across the nation of milkweed, which is imperative for the survival of the monarch butterfly.

Milkweed is incredibly important for the conservation of the monarch butterfly. To help the monarch butterflies in your own yard, plant native milkweed. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs in milkweed plants, and new monarch butterfly caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed plants.

 The Life Cycle of a Monarch Caterpillar

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and a post shared on Facebook, the life span of a monarch caterpillar moves fast, and they cannot survive without milkweed. They say the eggs hatch in only a few days, and then the caterpillar will eat the leaf it hatched. From there, the caterpillar will molt five times before forming a chrysalis. About eight days later, a monarch butterfly will emerge fully formed. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says, " If you plant it, they will come. And they will snack."

How to Help Monarch Butterflies at Home

If you're ready to plant milkweed, you're going to need some seeds, and they should be for species native to the part of the country where you live. Here in Indiana and Kentucky, seven species of milkweed are native.

Best Milkweed Species to Plant in Indiana and Kentucky

• Common Milkweed - Asclepias syriaca
• Swamp Milkweed - Asclepias incarnata
• Butterfly Weed - Asclepias tuberosa
• Whorled Milkweed - Asclepias verticillata
• Poke Milkweed - Asclepias exaltata
• Asclepias purpurascens
• Asclepias sullivantii

The Monarch Joint Effort, a nationwide conservation effort, recommends that you seek out plants that have been grown as close to where you plan to plant them as possible. If planting from seed, find the closest seed source to your area.