The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service announced on December 10 that they are proposing to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
Scientists estimate that monarch populations have declined by about 80% in the eastern U.S. and 95% in the western U.S. since monitoring began several decades ago. Last winter, the eastern monarchs' overwintering site in Mexico shrank to a mere 2.2 acres, down from almost 45 acres in the late 1990s.
The causes for this serious decline in monarch populations include habitat loss (especially milkweed, the monarch's host plant); loss of overwintering sites in Mexico and California; and widespread pesticide use.
The Fish & Wildlife Service is seeking public input on their proposal to list the monarch as a threatened species. Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 12, 2025. The agency will then evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the monarch butterfly.
How to provide comments on the proposal: for details on the proposed rule and how to submit comments visit this website.
Here in Chatham County, I usually see the first monarch butterfly of the year right around Tax Day, April 15. Then I start looking for their eggs on the different species of native milkweed in my pollinator garden and soon after that, the first caterpillars. I will see several generations throughout the year through the fall. See photos below.
You can help monarchs by planting milkweeds on your property! You can do it at any scale: from pots on a patio, to a pollinator garden, to a large meadow. Look for native species from local nurseries; they are easy to grow and don't require irrigation once established.
