2022-2023 Overwintering Monarch Population Declines 22%

The eastern migratory population of monarchs undertakes what is arguably the most dramatic example of insect migration known. Every year, three to five generations of monarch butterflies are needed to successfully complete their migration efforts spanning Mexico, United States and Canada and traverses thousands of miles.

Sadly, in recent decades, this migratory population has declined by more than 80% due to extensive loss of habitat throughout their breeding grounds and migratory path due to land-use changes

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Missouri biodiversity project continues opportunities to increase conservation

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, Oct. 12, 2022 – In a collaborative partnership with conservation stewards, the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council (MSMC), Missouri Corn Merchandising Council (MCMC), Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), MFA Incorporated, Pheasants Forever/Quail Forever and the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) are once again offering a biodiversity credit program to the Show-Me State’s growers.

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Magical Migration

October 12, 2022- Fall migration is in full swing! Migratory monarchs are beginning to arrive in Mexico. Texas is a migration hotspot, and reports are picking up in the Southeast and along the Gulf Coast. Western monarch activity is also ramping up, and some monarchs have reached overwintering sites in California.
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Nectaring, Roosting & Peak Migration Events

September 14, 2022- Monarch migration is well underway. Catch up on the news for both Eastern and Western monarch populations.

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I Bought Native Plants… Now What?

September 1, 2022- By Holly Dentner

Your motivation comes from a good place. You want to try something new in your garden or yard. Something that gives you a burst of summer color, but is also environmentally beneficial, attracting pollinators or providing food for birds and other wildlife.

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MONARCH BUTTERFLY ADDED TO THE IUCN RED LIST

Columbia, MO, July 21, 2022- The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced on July 21, 2022, that the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus) has entered the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Endangered. This listing will be the first time the monarch butterfly has officially been 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.

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New Findings Show Success of Partnership-powered Conservation

July 18, 2022- Since 2019, the Monarch Joint Venture (MJV) and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) have collaborated on an extensive project to monitor monarchs and their habitat across the eastern U.S. The findings show conservation’s positive impact on breeding and nectar resources for monarchs and the monarchs themselves.

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Monarch Summit Boosts Collaborative Conservation

June 29, 2022- Over two days in June, monarch conservation experts, scientists, agency leaders, and policymakers convened in Washington D.C. for the first-ever Monarch Butterfly Summit co-hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior and Senator Jeff Merkley (OR).

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Summer Is Near

June 15, 2022- This is Journey North’s final Monarch & Milkweed news update for Spring 2022. Thank you for following along and sharing your observations. Please continue to report observations of adult monarchs, monarch eggs and larvae, and milkweed throughout summer.

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2021-2022 Monarch Population Status

During the 2021-2022 overwintering season, 10 colonies of Monarch Butterflies covered 2.835 hectares (ha) of forest, which represents a 35% increase from 2020 (2.10 ha).  Because it is impossible to count each butterfly, a survey is conducted to measure the area of forest the monarchs occupy each winter in their hibernation colonies, in Mexico, providing an indicator of their population status.

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Overlapping Generations

April 27, 2022- May is at the doorstep. At this time of the season, migration is a story of overlapping generations. Monarchs from overwintering populations are nearing the end and their offspring are beginning to advance into summer breeding territories. Be on the lookout and report your monarch and milkweed observations to Journey North.
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Endings and Beginnings

April 20, 2022- No longer their brilliant orange, monarchs migrating from Mexico are nearing the end — and a new generation is about to continue the journey north. Where is the leading edge of migration this week? Monarch activity and milkweed growth will accelerate over the coming weeks. Be ready to report your observations!
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Missouri NRCS Announces Sign Up for Program Restoring and Improving Monarch Ecosystems

April 11, 2022– NRCS in Missouri encourages landowners in Northwest Missouri to apply for funding through the Program Restoring and Improving Monarch Ecosystems (PRIME) by May 20, 2022.

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Stop-and-Go Progress

April 6, 2022– In Mexico, Estela Romero and Ana and Pato Moreno provide the latest updates on monarch departures. Farther north, how is fluctuating spring weather impacting the leading edge of migration? And in the Western U.S., Gail Morris notes more sightings of monarch eggs and larvae and highlights important research on California milkweed.
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Almost April

March 30, 2022– In Mexico, Estela Romero shares that more monarchs are heading north but some are yet to depart. In the U.S., the leading edge of migration is moving slowly. And in California, Gail Morris provides an update on Western monarch activity. Are you noticing monarchs or milkweed? Report your observations to Journey North.
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