In December 2024, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposed to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This listing would be a vital step to protect a species that is currently estimated to have a 60 to 95 percent chance of going extinct by 2080.
Monarch populations in the eastern US have declined by more than 80 percent since the 1990’s and by at least 95 percent in the western US. This dramatic decline has been largely caused by pesticide use and habitat destruction in monarch breeding and wintering grounds. It is difficult to believe that, prior to Illinois laws passed in 2017, some counties in Illinois banned milkweed as a noxious weed. That milkweed is the only plant species on which monarch caterpillars can feed. We are now in a race to restore vital milkweed to our landscapes. Interestingly, most varieties are anything but noxious. Milkweed can be a beautiful addition to any landscape.
The monarch butterfly is an indicator species. This means that how it is doing can be indicative of how other species within our ecosystem are doing. If the monarch butterfly is listed as threatened by the US Fish & Wildlife Service, efforts towards helping the monarch will also help other pollinators and insects on which the health of our ecosystem depends. For more information on the monarch butterfly, please check out our video Why Monarchs Matter and How We Can Help:
For more information on adding milkweed to your landscape watch our video All About Native Milkweed for Monarchs and Other Pollinators:
The US Fish & Wildlife Service is seeking public comment on a proposed rule to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species. A 90-day comment period began on December 12, 2024 and runs until March 12, 2025. There are also public virtual hearings to be held on January 14th and 15th. For more information on how to attend these hearings or how to submit comments please visit https://www.fws.gov/initiative/pollinators/save-monarch.
We as a generation have the power to prevent the extinction of a beloved, iconic species. While doing this, we will help many more critical species. Let’s all pledge to help the monarchs in our own landscapes in 2025.