United States Fish & & Wildlife Service

Monarchs by the numbers

Eastern Monarch butterfly populations have been decreasing over the past 25 years. Of highest concern is the drop in numbers reported in 2022. A decrease of ~ 25% was observed in Eastern Monarch butterfly populations from Winter 2021-2022 to Winter 2022-2023.

Primary dangers

A few of the most significant dangers Monarchs face include loss of environment during migration, breeding and overwintering due to city development. Pesticide usage is also damaging to Monarch pollinators and butterflies alike.

Interview: Dr. Adam Baker

Meteorologist Kristen Currie talked with Dr. Adam Baker, a pollinator expert with the Davey Institute, to discuss ways the general public can help keep these butterfly populations prospering. Below is a transcription of that interview. Edits have been produced information.

Kristen Currie, KXAN News: Here to talk about why we're seeing a loss in Monarch butterflies and what we can do to help our winged buddies is Dr. Adam Baker with the Davey Institute. Dr. Baker, why are we seeing this loss in the Monarch butterfly population?

Dr. Adam Baker, Davey Institute: The Monarch decrease concern is a pretty complex one. There's no one specific thing that's that's impacting Monarch populations, it's truly a mix of lots of things. Things including pesticide usage, along with loss of environment due to urbanization.

And when we're talking about the loss of the Monarch butterfly, what we're discussing is the Eastern migratory population. We're concerned about that because this is the one that makes the substantial annual journey all the method from Mexico and all the way up into the United States.

AP Photo/Gregory Bull

Currie: You mentioned milkweed. Is that milkweed something we can plant in our gardens, in our neighborhoods and yards? Anything else that we can do as the general public to help?

Dr. Baker: You can focus on nectar plants, they're going to be appealing to butterflies. Things with cone type flower heads – – Monarchs utilize their straw-like mouthparts to get into them. And after that you want to plant things that are going to be offered throughout the migration phase. Things early in the season, as Monarchs are passing through, and things late in the season as they need that fuel to fly all the way back down to their overwintering grounds.