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Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Grayslake residents share passion for monarch butterflies; ‘It's like this whole other world that you come into'
It's a sunny July afternoon, and Grayslake neighbors Annie Lawson and Heather Bauer are standing at the side of Lawson's home, carefully going through her garden of milkweed plants. Lawson points at what looks like nothing more than a pale speck on the underside of a leaf. 'Here's an egg,' she says, prompting a gleeful cheer from Bauer. In a few days, that egg will hatch a caterpillar barely a few millimeters long, which will binge itself on milkweed leaves for another two weeks. After that, it'll form a chrysalis, a small protective shell, inside which it will be radically transformed. From that shell will emerge a monarch butterfly, an iconic North American butterfly that has faced catastrophic population decline in recent decades. Both Lawson and Bauer have small signs designating their homes as monarch waystations, meaning they provide proper milkweed plants, nectar and shelter for monarch butterflies. Bauer, who began raising butterflies about five years ago, was the one who drew Lawson into the hobby. Today, they admit it's something of an obsession, with the egg hunt becoming a daily ritual during the hatching season. Bauer has her 'monarch mansion,' as the neighborhood children call it — a birdcage where she protects the caterpillars and butterflies before releasing them when they're ready. And Lawson showed, somewhat sheepishly, her photo diary of her first few years releasing butterflies, where she photographed, named and recorded each one. For both women, their efforts are a small way to combat the devastation human activity has brought to monarch butterfly populations, including climate change, deforestation and heavy pesticide use. The monarch butterfly is most renowned for its yearly odyssey. Some will travel up to 3,000 miles during their two-way winter journey, according to Monarch Watch, which provides the waystation signs sitting in Bauer and Lawson's yards. They travel in giant butterfly masses across the continent to either the coast of California or the mountains of Mexico. But since the 1980s and '90s, monarch populations have seen staggering declines. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, populations in central Mexico and coastal California have decreased by more than 80% and 95% respectively in recent decades. It's a drop Bauer and Lawson have had to see in their own lifetimes. 'It's really sad,' Lawson said. 'It kind of lit this sense of responsibility in me. How hard is it to plant milkweed?' Bauer and Lawson explained that native milkweed is critical to the monarch's lifecycle, acting as the butterfly's host plant. It's where they lay their eggs and it feeds them as caterpillars. 'If you don't have milkweed, you don't have monarchs,' Lawson said. Both heavily encourage everyone to plant milkweed and get involved in raising monarch butterflies. Neither claims to be a bug expert, but they argue their lack of expertise actually shows how easy it could be to learn. 'You can go online and read about it and get yourself started,' Bauer said. 'As you keep doing it, it gets better and easier.' It's also drawn in their neighbors and community, and the two are discussing plans for creating a summer program to get school children involved. 'It's like this whole other world that you come into,' Bauer said. 'When you find an egg, you get excited, it's like a new baby. Watching them grow is crazy.'
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
When is peak monarch migration in Texas? Track butterfly sightings on interactive map
Monarchs are on the move. Each spring, these delicate yet resilient butterflies embark on an awe-inspiring journey from their wintering grounds in Mexico, making their way northward across the continent. And this year's migration brings somewhat good news: the population has doubled since last year. The latest count from the World Wildlife Fund offers a glimmer of hope for the eastern monarch population. Released earlier this month, the organization's annual count tracks the population by measuring the area monarchs occupy in central Mexico's forests during winter, rather than counting individual butterflies. This year, the monarchs occupied 4.42 acres of forest habitat — nearly twice as much as last year's 2.22 acres. Still, eastern monarch populations remain significantly below the long-term average, with 2024 figures showing a 59% decline from 2023, marking the second lowest level since record-keeping began. At the same time, the population of western monarch butterflies has also seen a decline. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation monitors this population and reported the lowest count of monarch butterflies on record, 9,119 butterflies. In 2023, the western population was around 233,400 butterflies, down nearly 30% from 2022. Monarch butterflies begin their northward journey from their Mexican roosts during the second week of March, in search of milkweed plants to lay their eggs, according to Monarch Watch. This makes Texas an especially important state for the species, as their migration aligns with the timing of their travel through the Lone Star State. The peak of the spring monarch butterfly migration in Texas typically occurs from late March to early April as they move northward from their overwintering grounds in Mexico. The charismatic insects primarily travel through cities along the I-35 corridor, taking advantage of air currents, including the jet stream, to aid in their migration. Several reports have already emerged of monarch butterflies heading toward North Texas. There have not been any sightings reported north of Oklahoma City at this point in their migration. They're more likely to be seen on warm, sunny days. The eastern monarch population overwinters primarily in the oyamel fir forests of the Sierra Madre Mountains in central Mexico, which provide a microclimate essential for their survival during the winter months. In the summer, they live primarily in the northern U.S.. and Canada. This decline is attributed to several factors, including habitat loss and a reduction in essential forage, such as milkweed. These issues are primarily driven by agriculture — particularly pesticide and herbicide use — and other forms of development. Additionally, rising temperatures are contributing to their decline. Plant milkweed: Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias spp.), which is crucial for the survival of their caterpillars as the plant is toxic to birds. Include different varieties such as common milkweed, butterfly weed and swamp milkweed. Add nectar plants: Plant a variety of nectar-rich flowers that bloom throughout the growing season. Monarchs are particularly attracted to flowers such as asters, coneflowers, zinnias, lantana and black-eyed Susans. They are more attracted to brighter colors, and flowers with a flat shape provide easier access. Create a sunny spot: Monarchs prefer sunny areas to warm up. Provide open, sunny spaces in your garden where they can bask. Provide water sources: Offer shallow dishes with water or create a small puddling area with damp soil. Avoid pesticides: Using pesticides and herbicides can harm butterflies and their caterpillars. Instead, consider natural pest control methods. Create shelter: Provide sheltered areas where butterflies can hide from strong winds and predators, such as shrubs or trees. More: Butterflies are in trouble. It doesn't take much to help JourneyNorth is encouraging people to report monarch sightings on its website. You can submit your observations of adult monarchs, eggs, or larvae to JourneyNorth. Include as much detail as possible, such as the monarch's gender, activity and, if known, the type of flowers it's nectaring on or the milkweed species if it's laying eggs. Photos are highly encouraged and welcome with all reports. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: When is peak monarch migration in Texas? Track butterflies on map live
