Where Do Western Monarchs Spend the Spring?

Despite the fact that Western Monarch butterflies are universally loved, their numbers have plummeted in recent years.

Two monarch butterflies cruise together under a Coast Live Oak tree. (Elizabeth Wallace)

What can you do to help? Join the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge–a campaign created to increase awareness of locations where Western Monarchs spend the spring in California after leaving their coastal California overwintering sites.

Male and female Western Monarchs together. Photo by Jeff Wallace.

If you see a monarch from February 18 through April 22, take a photo (it can be far away and blurry). Then report the siting to iNaturalist, the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, or email it to MonarchMystery@wsu.edu.

Far away and blurry photo of Western Monarch on baccharis pilularis cultivar and coffee berry. (Elizabeth Wallace)

Your photo will help scientists better understand Western Monarchs’ locations and activities in February, March, and April. When you share your springtime Monarch observations, you help conservation efforts for the butterfly.

In between reporting your spring Western Monarch sitings, plant more native plants in your garden, especially California buckwheat, salvias, manzanitas, narrow-leaf milkweed, and maybe a scrub oak tree!

E. Wallace

February 19, 2020

Buckwheat, Gardening with Native Plants, Monarchs and Milkweed

milkweed, Monarch, native plants, western monarchs

6 responses to “Where Do Western Monarchs Spend the Spring?”

peggyjoan42

February 19, 2020 at 12:03 pm

Sad that the Monarch is on the decline. We get very few Monarchs here in Arkansas and mostly in late Summer.

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1. E. Wallace
  
  February 19, 2020 at 3:07 pm
  
  Dear Peggy, Thank you for commenting. More than 80 percent of land in the United States is privately-owned. If we all spent a little time learning about what native plants grow in our area, and then try planting a few, and stop using herbicides and pesticides, all would be well! Nature is resilient.
  
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  1. peggyjoan42
    
    February 19, 2020 at 9:28 pm
    
    So True. I grow orange and pink milkweed for the Butterflies. The Monarchs also seemed to like my orange Mexican Sunflowers.
    
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  2. E. Wallace
    
    February 21, 2020 at 4:24 am
    
    Hi Peggy, As long as those flowers are native to Arkansas, the butterflies will thrive. Douglas Tallamy has a new book out titled “Nature’s Best Hope” that describes how we can each contribute to the return of birds and butterflies if we install plant species that are native to our local area. Good luck to you in your natural garden.
    
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  3. peggyjoan42
    
    February 21, 2020 at 12:05 pm
    
    The milkweed is native to Arkansas. The Monarchs loved the small Mexican Sunflowers. I always try to plant flowers and bushes that are native and help the creatures of our area. Everyone needs to do that.
    
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  4. E. Wallace
    
    February 21, 2020 at 4:13 pm
    
    Yay! This is the best news. Thank you Peggy.
    
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Where Do Western Monarchs Spend the Spring?

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