With its vivid orange wings, black outline and white dots, the monarch butterfly is one of themost easily identifiable butterflies on the planet. Their ability to flythousands of miles across North America during their seasonal migration makes them even more of a standout.
But monarch butterflies are at risk. Populations are declining due to habitat loss, climate change and urbanization. There is hope, however: Humans can play a huge role in reducing the threats tothe existence of these valuable insects.
The Arizona Republic talked to Natalie Melkonoff, plant and insect ecology program coordinator at the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix to learn about monarch butterflies and waysyou can help them.
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Why are monarch butterflies endangered?
Melkonoff saidit's important to understand that while monarch butterfly populations are declining significantly and the insectsare at risk, they are not on theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list.
Melkonoff saidthe agency concluded in 2020 that the petition to list monarch butterflies as endangered was "warranted but precluded."Thatmeans other species are more at risk and have higher priority than monarchbutterflies.
Monarch butterflies are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List, where they are classified as endangered.The group made that announcement on July 21. The IUCN is acoalition of government, nonprofit and private organizations that work on conservation issues.
Melkonoff said monarch butterflies are found all over the world and two groups of them are on the IUCN's Red List.
Those are monarch butterflies that fly west of the Rocky Mountains andspend their winters on the California coast and monarch butterflies that fly east of the Rocky Mountains andspend their winters in central Mexico.
Melkonoff said multiplethreats are contributing to their decline. Theseinclude loss of habitat, climate change and pesticide use.
“Trees that they need to spend the winter on are being lost due to either deforestation for agricultural purposes or for logging, or they're just not protected," Melkonoff said.
“Then there is widespread pesticide use that also impacts them. So whether that's on an agricultural scale or in an urban area, these factors are impacting monarchs as well as other insects. They're moving around in order to find the resources that they need."
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Why are monarch butterflies important?
Monarch butterflies are important pollinators, according to the Nature Conservancy. They spread pollen as they flit from plant to plant, making it possible for blueberries, squash and other foods to grow. They pollinate many flowers as well.
Monarchs are part of the food chain in another way: Birds, snakes and rats eat adult butterflies. Insects and spiders prey on the larvae.
Not many insects make a migratory journey like monarchs do, Melkonoff said.
“Because monarchs migrate, they're all in one place at a certain time of the year, which means we can count them. Essentially, we can get an estimate of their population numbers. So we can track their declines really easily.”
And it's easy for people to participate in monarchs'conservation. It's as simple as creating a habitat for them in your yard.
“Monarchsspan borders andspan cultures,” Melkonoff said. “They are really compelling organisms for people to get involved with. Unlike protecting some sort of large mammal, an insect that you see in your backyard, you can take a really direct conservation action for.
“So if someone wants to protect monarchs, they can plant milkweed plants in their backyard. And they're going to have an important intangible effect. So they can really kind of grab people and make them interested in conservation and show them the direct impact that their actions can have.”
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Where and when do monarch butterflies migrate?
According to the World Wildlife Fund,monarchs fly up to 2,500 miles from the U.S. and Canada where they breed, all the way down to the forests in central Mexico where they hibernate.
Unlike some butterfly speciesthat can overwinter as larvae, pupaeor evenadults, monarchs cannot survive the cold winters of northern climates, the USDAForest Service website explains. Monarchs know it's time to travel south when the temperatures get colder.
“Thereason they migrate is because they don't like freezing temperatures,” Melkonoff said. “Freezing temperatures are going to be detrimental to them. And just in general, it's true for any insect, they're going to move slower, which makes it harder for them to get away from predators.”
Monarchs don't like extremely hot weather, either. Melkonoff saidmonarchs have a heat threshold of about 100 degrees.
“That's why we don't see them here in the summer. In the central part of the state, but that’s when we will see them moving up north.”
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What is a monarch butterfly’s life span?
Monarchs making that long cross-border journey in the fall can live several months. Their extended lifespan during this time is because they are not using energy to reproduce and cooler temperatures slow down their metabolism according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“That monarch will start migrating when the day gets shorter and temperatures get cooler and it'll make a seven-month journey to its overwintering ground,” Melkonoff said. “It'll live that whole time and then it'll mateand start to move back north and then it'll die.”
Monarchs that are in their breeding season and not migrating only live for about two weeks.
What is the best plant to attract monarch butterflies?
One plant in particular is crucialto the success of monarchs.
“Milkweed is the only plant that monarch butterflies lay their eggs on and that their caterpillars can eat on,” Melkonoff said. "And then when the adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, that is going to be a nectar-drinking insect, Melkonoff said.”
Examples of milkweed plants that grow in Arizona include:
- Arizona milkweed.
- Desert milkweed.
- Giant sand milkweed.
Monarchs seek nectar in other plants as well. Nectar plants that grow in Arizona include:
- Goodding's verbena.
- Gregg’s mistflower.
- Desert marigold.
- Indigo bush.
- Flattop buckwheat.
- Blackfoot daisy.
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How to build a monarch butterfly habitat
Melkonoff said it's easy to create a habitat where monarchs can thrive. Here's how to attract them to your yard:
- Plant nectar-producing flowering plants to provide a food source.
- Plant milkweed to provide a breeding ground.
- Provide a shelter or flat surface where they can rest and attach their chrysalises. This can be a bench, windowsill or a tree with large, sturdybranches.
- Avoid using pesticides.
Are monarch butterflies poisonous?
Monarch butterflies are not poisonous to pets, but they don't taste good.
“Because they eat locally,and that plant contains toxins, they ingest those toxins and they become part of their body tissue,” Melkonoff said. “And that makes them distasteful to predators, both as a caterpillar and as an adult."
The monarch's coloring is a warning to predators.
“It's a warning coloration. So theoretically, a bird or another predator, they remember, oh, it was distasteful and they had some negative reaction to it. And so they remember, don't eat that color again.”
You can connect with Arizona Republic Culture and Outdoors Reporter Shanti Lerner throughemail at shanti.lerner@gannett.com or you can also follow her onTwitter.
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