Monarch Butterfly: Endangered Species Facts, Information and More!
The Monarch butterfly is an endangered migratory butterfly native to North and Central America. The North American migratory event is unique to the Monarch species. In Canada, western migratory Monarchs breed in British Columbia and spend winter in California. Eastern migratory Monarchs breed from Alberta to Nova Scotia and spend winter in Mexico. Most Monarchs hatch in summer and live for 2 to 6 weeks. The migratory Monarchs hatch in late August or September. These Monarchs can live up to 9 months in order to complete the long journey, traveling up to 5000 kilometres (3,100 miles) to reach their winter destinations. The Monarch navigates by using the sun, and Earth’s magnetic field to find their way without ever having been there before. The butterflies that spent the winter roosting in Mexico and California begin their journey north the following spring. They lay eggs, die, and their offspring continue on. It takes three to four generations to complete the return trip to Canada which they reach by May or June.
Milkweed Dependency.
Monarchs depend on the milkweed plant for their survival. During a life cycle, Monarchs lay their eggs on its leaves. Once hatched, the new caterpillar will use the leaves as its only food source. One caterpillar is able to eat over 20 milkweed leaves in its lifetime! As butterflies, they sip on the milkweed nectar which has the added benefit of making them unappetizing to most predators.
Why the Monarch matters.
Like bees, the Monarch butterfly is a pollinator. They transfer pollen from one flowering plant to another as they feed on flower nectar. This fertilizes the plants so they can produce seeds and fruit. Without pollinators, many crops and wildflowers would not exist.
Why does the Monarch need help?
There are many threats to the Monarch butterfly, as well as to the plants and habitat upon which they depend. In Canada, these include:
• Loss of habitat through the use of herbicides reducing milkweed availability.
• Loss of food sources (wildflower nectar) due to agricultural intensification.
• Insecticide use.
• Climate change and extreme weather events.
What can you do for the Monarch Butterflies?
Planting: Plant the kinds of flowers Monarchs use to fuel up on for their long journey. Ask your parents to help you discover which plants provide food sources from the websites below.
Shelter: Butterflies seek protection when threatened or from wind and rain. Planting woody shrubs alongside flowering perennials provides sheltered places for butterflies to seek safety and rest throughout the day.
Roosting Sites: In addition to needing flower nectar to fuel their flight, butterflies require places to roost along their journey. Monarchs only fly during the day. At night they gather to roost in large groups seeking shelter in dense evergreen trees like cedar and fir.
Water: Provide a water source for butterflies by placing a shallow dish filled with coarse sand in your flower garden. Keep the sand moist.
Websites and other resources
Before visiting any of these websites, please ask your parents for permission or to help you find more information on the Monarch butterfly. Here are a few you can start with.
Federal and provincial government website resources:
Canada.ca Monarch Butterfly: Profile of Species at Risk
Government of Canada, Species at Risk is the official government page providing a complete profile of the monarch, which is listed as an endangered species. It details
the life cycle, threats, and conservation efforts, as well as outlining how Canadians
can help.
Government of Canada, Species at Risk is the official government page providing a complete profile of the monarch, which is listed as an endangered species. It details
the life cycle, threats, and conservation efforts, as well as outlining how Canadians
can help.
https://ontario.ca/page/monarch
A resource from the Ontario government focuses on the monarch’s presence and conservation status in the province.
A resource from the Ontario government focuses on the monarch’s presence and conservation status in the province.
parks.canada.ca Point Pelee National Park
Parks Canada websites feature information on monarchs and their habitat within Canada’s national parks.
Parks Canada websites feature information on monarchs and their habitat within Canada’s national parks.
www.fs.usda.gov Monarch Butterfly in North America
The U.S. Forest Service is a world leader in forest research, providing leadership in the sustainable management, conservation, use, and stewardship of natural resources
in the United States.
The U.S. Forest Service is a world leader in forest research, providing leadership in the sustainable management, conservation, use, and stewardship of natural resources
in the United States.
Conservation organizations:
Hinterland Who’s Who – www.hww.ca
Canadian Wildlife Federation blog – blog.cwf-fcf.org
David Suzuki Foundation – davidsuzuki.org
WWF-Canada – wwf.ca
Monarch Watch – monarchwatch.org
Journey North – journeynorth.org
Commission for Environmental Cooperation – www.cec.org
Mission Monarch – www.mission-monarch.org
Monarch Teacher Network of Canada (MTN of C) – Hosted on trca.ca
NatureCounts – naturecounts.ca › tmkn
Pollinator Partnership Canada – pollinatorpartnership.ca