Butterflies, often seen as symbols of beauty and environmental health, are facing a dramatic decline in the United States. A recent study published in the journal Science reveals that butterfly populations across the Lower 48 states have plummeted by an average of 22% since 2000. This alarming trend can be attributed to several interrelated factors: the use of insecticides, climate change, and habitat loss.

Insecticides and Their Impact

Insecticides, chemicals designed to kill insects, are widely used in agriculture to protect crops. However, these chemicals do not discriminate between harmful pests and beneficial insects like butterflies. The widespread application of insecticides has led to the unintentional poisoning of butterfly populations. These chemicals can disrupt the butterflies’ reproductive systems, reduce their food sources by killing off nectar-producing plants, and contaminate their habitats.

Climate Change

Climate change is another significant factor contributing to the decline of butterflies. Changes in temperature and weather patterns can alter the availability of resources that butterflies depend on, such as specific plants for nectar and host plants for laying eggs. Extreme weather events, like droughts and heavy rains, can also destroy butterfly habitats and reduce their chances of survival. As temperatures rise, some butterfly species may struggle to adapt or migrate to more suitable environments, leading to a decrease in their populations.

Abundance trends were tracked by scientists in more than 500 sites across most of the United States and parts of Canada, showing increases in the southeast and Pacific Northwest in contrast with declines in the southwest and Mountain west. https://news.uga.edu/butterfly-increase-decline-climate-related/

Habitat Loss

Habitat loss is perhaps the most critical threat to butterflies. Urbanization, deforestation, and agricultural expansion have led to the destruction and fragmentation of natural habitats that butterflies rely on. As their habitats shrink, butterflies are forced into smaller and more isolated areas, making it harder for them to find mates and food. The loss of biodiversity in these fragmented habitats also means that butterflies are more vulnerable to diseases and predators.

The Consequences

The decline of butterflies has far-reaching consequences for ecosystems and human well-being. Butterflies play a crucial role in pollination, helping to maintain the health and diversity of flowering plants. Their decline could lead to a decrease in plant reproduction, affecting the entire food chain. Additionally, butterflies serve as indicators of environmental health, signaling the broader impacts of environmental changes. Their disappearance could be a warning sign of more widespread ecological decline.

What Can Be Done?

The decline in butterfly populations is alarming, but there are meaningful actions individuals can take to help reverse this trend:

1. Plant Native Flowers: Butterflies rely on native plants for nectar and as host plants for their caterpillars. Adding these to your garden can provide essential food and shelter.
2. Avoid Pesticides: Opt for natural pest control methods instead of chemical insecticides, which can harm butterflies and other beneficial insects.
3. Create Butterfly Habitats: Even small spaces like balconies or urban gardens can be transformed into butterfly-friendly zones with the right plants and water sources.
4. Support Conservation Efforts: Donate to or volunteer with organizations dedicated to protecting butterfly habitats and conducting research.
5. Educate and Advocate: Spread awareness about the importance of butterflies and advocate for policies that protect their habitats and address climate change.

“Individuals can take steps to help butterfly populations recover,” said Dr. Eliza Grames, assistant professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University and a co-author of the study. “One of the really positive messages about insect conservation is that the things we do in our own backyards actually make a difference.” (https://www.cbsnews.com/news/butterfly-populations-declining-us-science-study/)

The declining population of the monarch butterfly has captured public attention and fueled widespread efforts to support their conservation. Here are five books to deepen your understanding of this iconic butterfly.

“Monarchs and Milkweed: A Migrating Butterfly, a Poisonous Plant, and Their Remarkable Story of Coevolution” by Anurag Agrawal is a fascinating tale of the intricate relationship between monarch butterflies and milkweed plants. This book delves deep into the coevolution of these two species, highlighting how monarch butterflies have adapted to feed on the toxic milkweed and, in turn, how milkweed plants have developed defenses against herbivory.

Agrawal combines scientific research with engaging storytelling, presenting the evolutionary arms race between the monarchs and milkweed. He explores topics such as migration patterns, chemical ecology, genetics, and the impact of human activity on these species. Through vivid descriptions and illustrations, the book provides a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of coevolution and the interconnectedness of life.

“The Monarch: Saving Our Most-Loved Butterfly” by Kylee Baumle is a heartfelt and informative book about the monarch butterfly and its remarkable migration. Baumle, a passionate monarch enthusiast and citizen scientist, shares her deep admiration for these beautiful creatures and the challenges they face due to habitat loss, pesticides, and other human activities.

The Monarch highlights this stunning butterfly with striking photographs, intriguing facts about its life cycle, and essential information about the crucial role pollinators play in our ecosystem. Monarch enthusiast and nature blogger Kylee Baumle offers “action” projects suitable for all ages, from planting milkweed and wildflowers to creating butterfly watering stations and engaging in volunteer activism.

“The Monarch Butterfly Migration: Its Rise and Fall” by Monika Maeckle is a captivating exploration of the incredible journey that monarch butterflies undertake each fall, migrating from Canada to Mexico. Spanning nearly 3,000 miles, this migration takes them through various U.S. states, including Oklahoma and Texas, where enthusiasts eagerly await their arrival.

Maeckle, a journalist and butterfly advocate, intertwines natural history, scientific knowledge, and personal anecdotes to narrate the tale of this remarkable phenomenon. She explores the fascinating history of monarch migration, which captured public interest in 1976 with a National Geographic magazine cover story highlighting the “discovery” of their roosting sites in Mexico. Maeckle shares the story behind this discovery and introduces us to Catalina Aguado, the woman at the heart of the narrative and featured on the National Geographic cover.

The book also addresses the challenges monarch butterflies face, such as habitat loss, climate change, and declining numbers. Maeckle provides unique insights into the butterflies’ plight and the community of scientists, enthusiasts, and advocates working to protect them. The book emphasizes the importance of environmental sustainability and encourages readers to appreciate and protect the natural wonders around them.

It’s a highly engaging read that combines meticulous reporting with a call to action for conservation and appreciation of nature’s marvels.

How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids” by Carol Pasternak is an engaging and informative book that provides a detailed guide on how to raise monarch butterflies from egg to adult. The book is designed for both children and adults, making it a great resource for families or anyone interested in butterfly conservation.

Pasternak covers the entire life cycle of the monarch butterfly, including finding and collecting eggs, caring for caterpillars, and creating a suitable habitat for chrysalises and emerging butterflies. The book also includes tips on avoiding common predators, feeding the butterflies, and tracking their migration through citizen science projects.

With over 40 colorful photos and practical advice, this guide is perfect for anyone looking to create a butterfly-friendly garden and contribute to the conservation of these beautiful creatures. It’s a wonderful way to learn about nature and the importance of environmental stewardship.

If you’re interested in learning how to raise monarch butterflies, I highly recommend this book.

“100 Plants to Feed the Monarch: Create a Healthy Habitat to Sustain North America’s Most Beloved Butterfly” by The Xerces Society is a comprehensive guide aimed at helping readers create monarch-friendly habitats. The book covers the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, its relationship with milkweed, and the threats it faces due to habitat loss and climate change.

The book provides detailed instructions on designing and creating landscapes that support monarch butterflies. It includes at-a-glance profiles of 100 plant species that provide nourishment to monarchs, ranging from various milkweed species to flowering plants, shrubs, and trees that offer nectar for adult butterflies. The plants listed are all commercially available and include those that bloom in late season to sustain monarchs during their migration.

With gorgeous photographs, illustrations, maps, and garden plans, this visually engaging guide is perfect for anyone looking to contribute to the conservation of monarch butterflies by creating a supportive environment for them.

 

“Monarch Butterflies” by Ann Hobbie is a beautifully illustrated and informative book that takes readers on an enchanting journey through the life cycle and migration of one of nature’s most fascinating creatures. This book delves into the remarkable story of monarch butterflies, from their humble beginnings as tiny eggs on milkweed leaves to their transformation into magnificent orange and black winged adults.

Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly

Ann Hobbie meticulously details each stage of the monarch butterfly’s life cycle, providing captivating insights into their development. Readers will learn about:

• Egg Stage: The story begins with the female butterfly laying her eggs on milkweed plants, which serve as the primary food source for the larvae.
• Larva Stage: The eggs hatch into tiny caterpillars, which grow rapidly as they feast on milkweed leaves.
• Pupa Stage: After reaching a certain size, the caterpillars form a chrysalis, within which they undergo a miraculous transformation.
• Adult Stage: Finally, the adult butterflies emerge, ready to take flight and continue the cycle.

Migration and Conservation

One of the most extraordinary aspects of monarch butterflies is their incredible migration. Hobbie explores the arduous journey these butterflies undertake, traveling thousands of miles from North America to central Mexico. She highlights the challenges they face along the way, including habitat loss and climate change.

The book also emphasizes the importance of conservation efforts to protect monarch butterflies and their habitats. Hobbie provides practical tips and suggestions for how individuals can contribute to the preservation of these beautiful insects, such as planting milkweed and creating butterfly-friendly gardens.

Illustrations and Educational Value

The vibrant illustrations by Olga Baumert bring the text to life, making the book visually appealing for readers of all ages. The clear, concise language and engaging narrative make it an excellent educational resource for children and adults alike.

Conclusion

“Monarch Butterflies” by Ann Hobbie is a delightful and informative read that inspires awe and respect for these remarkable insects. It serves as both a celebration of the beauty of monarch butterflies and a call to action for their conservation. This book is a must-read for nature enthusiasts, educators, and anyone interested in learning more about the natural world.

Choose one of these New Year’s Resolutions to make your garden more butterfly-friendly this year!

Resolve to Stop Pesticide Use

One simple New Year’s resolution that can have a huge impact on local wildlife (and your own health) is to stop using pesticides in your garden!

Stop using pesticides and instead focusing on tried-and-true natural gardening practices can be a great New Year’s resolution for your garden! By avoiding or minimizing pesticide use, you create a safer, healthier environment for pollinators and contribute to the overall health and sustainability of your garden.

Plan to Plant Milkweed!

Milkweed is the primary food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. By planting it, you’re helping to support the lifecycle of these beautiful and crucial pollinators, which are currently facing population declines.

Milkweed attracts not just monarchs, but a variety of other pollinators such as bees and other butterflies. This helps to enhance the biodiversity in your garden and supports the broader ecosystem.

By planting native milkweed, you’re contributing to conservation efforts, promoting ecological health, and adding a vibrant touch to your garden. It’s a small but powerful way to make a positive impact this new year!

Have a Goal to Add More Native Plants to Your Garden

Native plants are known to support a greater abundance and diversity of bees, butterflies, and other wildlife. Including native plants in your garden enhances biodiversity by providing a variety of plant species that support a diverse range of organisms. This helps to create a balanced and resilient ecosystem.

Native plants are adapted to the local climate, soil, and pests, which means they generally require less water, fertilizer, and pesticides. This makes them easier to care for and more sustainable.

Take time this winter and spring to walk through your garden and figure out what percentage of your plants are native species. Aiming for a wildlife garden that is at least 70% native plant species is a great goal with scientific backing.

Add Host Plants

Larval host plants are the secret to successful butterfly gardening; they are plants required by a caterpillar for growth and development. By planting host plants in your garden, you offer a promise of food for the next generation and will attract more butterflies than you thought possible.

Remember, you cannot have a butterfly without the caterpillar and you cannot have the caterpillar without that host plant. So plant lots of host plants. You can never have too many.

Celebrate Your Efforts by Certifying Your Garden

By certifying your garden, you not only gain recognition for your efforts but also contribute to larger conservation goals. It’s a wonderful way to make a positive impact on your local environment!

Here are some common certification programs you can consider:

National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

• • • • Certification: Wildlife Habitat Certification
      • Criteria: Provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young for wildlife. Use sustainable gardening practices.
      • Website: NWF Garden for Wildlife

Monarch Watch

• • Certification: Monarch Waystation
  • Criteria: Provide milkweed and nectar sources to support the monarch butterfly lifecycle.
  • Website: Monarch Waystation Program

North American Butterfly Association (NABA)

• • • Certification: Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program
    • Criteria: Create a garden that provides resources for butterflies, including host plants for caterpillars and nectar plants for adults.
    • Website: NABA Certification

Xerces Society

• Certification: Pollinator Habitat
• Criteria: Create a habitat that supports pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
• Website: Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat

• • • • Wild Ones
        

        • • • • Certification: Native Plant Butterfly Garden Certification
              • Criteria: Use native plants to create a garden that supports butterflies and other wildlife.
              • Website: Wild Ones Certification

Gardening for butterflies can be a truly joyful and rewarding experience. Successfully attracting butterflies to your garden can give you a great sense of achievement. By nurturing a butterfly garden, you’re not only creating a beautiful space but also fostering a connection with nature that can bring lasting happiness.

Wishing you a new year full of butterfly joy! 

What are keystone native plants and why are they so important?

Keystone plants are natives that are essential to our ecosystems because they support 90% of the caterpillar species that enable our terrestrial birds to reproduce, as well as all our specialist native bee species. They can be trees, shrubs, or perennials, and can be found in backyards and other natural environments.

The concept of keystone species revolves around the idea that certain plant species can support hundreds of other species within an ecosystem. According to Jody Walthall, these keystone plants have a “disproportionately large impact on the abundance and diversity of other species, such as insects.” In their absence, the quality of the local ecosystem can deteriorate, much like removing the keystone from a Roman archway. Insects are the primary focus for keystone plants because disrupting these primary consumers leads to significant disruptions higher up the food chain.

Keystone plants for butterflies in North America include:

These plants are important for butterflies because they provide food and shelter for their caterpillars. Milkweed, for example, is the only food source for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Joe-pye weed, black-eyed Susan, coneflower, goldenrod, aster, and sunflower are all good sources of nectar for adult butterflies.

There are numerous advantages to incorporating keystone native plants into your landscape:

Supporting Local Wildlife
By providing food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other animals, native plants create a thriving ecosystem in your own backyard. This fosters biodiversity and helps to maintain the delicate balance of nature. Studies by entomologist Dr. Doug Tallamy have shown that landscapes with keystone plants support 70-75% more caterpillar species than those without them, highlighting the crucial role these plants play in the food chain.

Enhancing Pollination
Many native plants are specifically adapted to attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. These pollinators are essential for the reproduction of many flowering plants, including fruits and vegetables we rely on. A single bee visit can pollinate hundreds of flowers, ensuring a bountiful harvest and healthy ecosystems.

Promoting Natural Pest Control
Native plants are nature’s pest control! A healthy ecosystem with a diverse population of beneficial insects helps to keep pest populations in check naturally. Keystone plants often attract predator insects that feed on harmful insects, reducing the need for pesticides. This creates a safer environment for you, your family, and your pets.

Reducing Maintenance Needs
Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions, requiring less water and fertilizer than non-native species. This translates to lower maintenance needs for your garden, saving you time and money. Additionally, native plants are often more resistant to pests and diseases, further reducing the need for interventions.

By planting keystone plants in your garden, you can help to support the population of butterflies and help restore native biodiversity!