Endangered monarch butterflies migrating through Missouri

Monarch butterflies, which were declared “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature a couple of years ago, are thought to be migrating through Missouri and the Midwest right now. Butterflies are one of the most important pollinators in nature.

A website called Journey North, which tracks migrations of birds and butterflies, says there are numerous reports of people finding monarch larvae in the Midwest as well as further afield. Monarch migrate to Mexico during this time of the year.

Journey North cites the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, which appears to have monitoring sites across the entire United States, with the 66 located in Missouri reporting that 82 monarchs are being, or have been, reared in the state; and that almost 18,000 milkweed plants – the flowers monarch caterpillars favour – have been observed.

According to the website for Missourians for Monarchs, the IUCN said in July, 2022 that the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) had entered the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Endangered.

This listing was the first time the monarch butterfly was officially declared at risk of extinction. The IUCN is the leading global authority on the status of biological diversity. The IUCN Red List is one of many tools utilized in decision-making processes for public, private, and non-governmental organizations.

In December 2020, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the monarch butterfly warranted but precluded. This decision means that the monarch meets the listing criteria under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), but there are only enough resources to focus on higher-priority listing actions.

Currently, the monarch butterfly is a candidate species for listing under the ESA. Its status is reviewed each year until it is no longer a candidate.

While the monarch butterfly is still not listed as federally endangered in the United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provides guidance for voluntary conservation actions through the Information for Planning and Consultation (IPaC) project planning tool.

Many government agencies, conservation and agricultural organizations, utilities, and nonprofits have already adopted monarch conservation practices from this tool.

The Missouri state government, through its Department of Conservation, has launched a program called Monarch Madness, in which it encourages Missourians to learn more about the endangered butterfly and learn what they can do to help save them.

Main image by Debbie Long