Growing Milkweed Could Help Save Monarch Butterflies

By Shannie McCabe

The Monarch butterfly is one of Mother Nature's most fascinating and beautiful gifts. They have an incredibly complex migratory journey and an awe-inspiring metamorphosis pattern. Unfortunately, studies have shown that the Monarch butterfly may go extinct within our lifetime. The Eastern and Western Monarch butterfly have both shown sharp and startling decline in the last decade, and in 2018, the populations dropped more precipitously than ever.

Each year, Monarchs embark upon the most complicated migration of any insect known. Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains travel thousands of miles to overwinter in a forest in Mexico. The Western Monarch travels down the West Coast to overwinter in the eucalyptus trees and other butterfly-friendly spaces of southern California. These overwintering spots are described as a mosaic of black and orange, with butterflies smothering entire patches of forest.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is a nonprofit group that conducts an annual census of the Western Monarch. Having completed its annual count in California, the group reported a shattering 86 percent population decline from 2017. But the population of Western Monarchs has been falling for years, and is just a small fraction — about three percent — of what it was in the 1980s.

In 2017, scientists estimated that Western Monarchs faced a 72 percent chance of extinction in the next 20 years if nothing is done to reverse their decline. The Eastern Monarch is also in critical trouble; studies have shown that its population has fallen a frightening 90 percent in the last two decades.

How Monarch Butterflies Became Threatened

Scientists say the increased use of herbicides is largely to blame for this near-extinction. The aggressive use of weed killer has decimated the population of native milkweed, which is the sole food source of the Monarch caterpillar. Other factors such as deforestation and rapid development have contributed to this loss.

Genetically modified corn and soybeans have been designed to withstand spraying with  herbicides. With massive swaths of the country being planted in GMO crops, their use has skyrocketed. Native milkweed, which is typically prevalent along the edges of farmland, is being eradicated by the new zero-tolerance weed policy that GMO farming has created.

Aside from its importance as a wildflower pollinator, the Monarch is considered a canary in the coal mine. Because of the species’ relationship to environmental pressure, the Monarch’s population health is an indicator of the health of an overall ecosystem.

Without intervention, this once-ubiquitous symbol of American biodiversity could be lost forever. Fortunately, scientists report that this dire situation can be reversed through immediate and sustained action.

How To Help Monarch Butterflies

You can start by planting your native milkweed species and allowing existing wild milkweed habitats to thrive. Ditching the use of herbicides in favor of more environmentally-friendly weed suppression methods will also help to restore the beleaguered pollinator population.

Another way to help monarchs is by planting a beautiful sanctuary. The Monarch butterfly’s life really does depend on milkweed. It is the only source of food for Monarch caterpillars, and adult butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves. 

There are over 100 species of milkweed, all bearing the Latin “asclepias,” named for the Greek god of healing and medicine. This incredible plant makes a gorgeous ornamental and will invite hoards of beautiful monarchs to your garden. 

Be sure to plant the correct milkweed that is native to your region. You can include milkweed in flower beds, borders or in the naturalized landscape. A sunny and sheltered location is perfect for the monarch’s life cycle. 

Asclepias tuberosa is a perennial type milkweed that is native throughout the eastern and southern regions of the country. It is durable and long lived, a perfect habitat for the Eastern Monarch.

Asclepias incarnata is a perennial rosy-pink flowered milkweed that is the best choice for moist locations, as it is native to wet ground throughout much of North America. This species supports the Monarch and other butterfly populations, as well as bees and hummingbirds.

The two varieties of milkweed mentioned are quite popular, however there are many more types to grow and you will want to be sure to secure a local variety. Check out this milkweed planting map to find the varieties of milkweed that are appropriate for planting in your area. The Xerces society even provides a milkweed seed finder, to help you find a source for your best local milkweed seeds.