Endangered Monarch

We have learned so much about Monarchs through our experiences raising them.  They are an interesting butterfly!!  Please enjoy this quiz of  fun facts and trivia about the Monarch caterpillar and Monarch butterfly!  

If you have any suggestions for questions for a future Monarch quiz let us know in the comments! 

Monarchs are a threatened species and we are happy to help in the ways that we can to help preserve the population.  

Join our children and their able assistants (their parents!) on our educational journey and conservation efforts and enjoy our videos.  We hope you learn as much as we did!

Current events - Monarchs are listed as Endangered!

The migratory monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus plexippus), known for its spectacular annual journey of up to 4,000 kilometres across the Americas, has entered the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM as Endangered, threatened by habitat destruction and climate change. 

The western population is at greatest risk of extinction, having declined by an estimated 99.9%, from as many as 10 million to 1,914 butterflies between the 1980s and 2021. The larger eastern population also shrunk by 84% from 1996 to 2014. Concern remains as to whether enough butterflies survive to maintain the populations and prevent extinction. 

"It is difficult to watch monarch butterflies and their extraordinary migration teeter on the edge of collapse, but there are signs of hope. So many people and organisations have come together to try and protect this butterfly and its habitats. From planting native milkweed and reducing pesticide use to supporting the protection of overwintering sites and contributing to community science, we all have a role to play in making sure this iconic insect makes a full recovery," said Anna Walker, member of the IUCN SSC Butterfly and Moth Specialist Group and Species Survival Officer at the New Mexico BioPark Society, who led the monarch butterfly assessment. 

Reference: https://www.iucn.org/press-release/202207/migratory-monarch-butterfly-now-endangered-iucn-red-list