Saving the Monarch Butterfly
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Few sights signal the health of a landscape like a monarch in flight. Once a common flash of orange across North American meadows, the monarch butterfly has seen its numbers fall dramatically over the past few decades—driven by habitat loss, the disappearance of native milkweed, pesticide use, and a changing climate along its extraordinary multi-generation migration.
Why the Monarch Matters
The monarch is a keystone pollinator and a bellwether species: when monarchs struggle, it tells us something larger is out of balance. Protecting them means protecting the milkweed, wildflowers, and open corridors that countless other species depend on too.
How You Can Help
- Plant native milkweed in the spring — it’s the only plant monarch caterpillars can eat. Your local garden center is a great place to start; the staff are often knowledgeable about which milkweed species are native to your area and how to get them established.
- Grow nectar-rich flowers to fuel their migration — monarchs love blooms like coneflower (echinacea), black-eyed Susan, bee balm, zinnias, goldenrod, joe-pye weed, and asters. A mix that blooms from spring through fall keeps them fed the whole season.
- Skip the pesticides in your garden and green spaces.
- Join a local garden club and support conservation groups — it’s a wonderful way to learn, share plants, and grow habitat together.
Groups worth looking up
Wear the Cause
Every Monarch Butterfly Patch is a small tribute to this remarkable traveler—and a conversation starter for the people who see it. Carry the monarch with you and help spread the word.