Monarchs Now Protected as a Threatened Species

This December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed a listing of the North American migratory monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. So, what does that new listing mean for the monarch butterfly? Read along as we unpack the significance of this listing and what you can do to help the monarch.

The Monarch Butterfly's Decline

North America's monarch butterfly has been in rapid decline for the last few decades due to habitat loss and fragmentation, excessive pesticide use, and climate change. If the decline continues, the extraordinary monarch migration across the continent could cease altogether.

You can learn even more about the monarch butterfly and its important relationship with milkweed here.

The Monarch Butterfly is Now Considered Threatened

Just this December, the USFWS listed the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The Endangered Species Act is the strongest conservation law in the United States. Under this act, plants or animals can be listed as either "threatened" or "endangered". When a species is listed, it can help provide resources and even legal action to protect them. Interested in the difference between these two listings? See USFWS's explanations here:

Endangered species: A plant or animal species "that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range."

Threatened species: A plant or animal species "that is likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range."

Does this listing help the monarch?

Protecting the monarch as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act could be great news for the monarchs! It will provide increased funding, coordination, and focus on the work to save this iconic butterfly species.

The National Wildlife Federation supports the protection of the migratory monarch under the Endangered Species Act and will continue its long-running monarch conservation efforts to help migratory monarch populations recover.

Wait, wasn't the monarch butterfly already listed as endangered?

You may recall that a few years ago, there was big news about the monarch butterfly being "listed" as endangered. No, you're not crazy! Though the USFWS listing is new, the monarch's plight is not. There are different scientific and international organizations that have provided their assessment of the status of the monarch butterfly over the years.

In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified the monarch butterfly as endangered and updated the classification to vulnerable a year later.

You can read more about that announcement here.

The most important difference between this IUCN listing and the one happening this month is that the IUCN listing does not hold federal jurisdiction in the United States. Meanwhile, the new listing of the monarch under the Endangered Species Act does actually carry legal and federal jurisdiction and can therefore open up more concerted opportunities and larger funding for recovering the monarch in this country. Both assessments and conclusions are important, and together they help communicate the need for protecting this species.

You can help monarch butterflies by planting native milkweed in your garden! Credit: Heather Russell

How You Can Help Monarchs

While the Endangered Species Act listing will provide increased protection and resources for monarch conservation at the federal level, you and your community can take part in the monarch's recovery too, at the local level!

One of the best ways to help is to create monarch habitat in your own yard, garden, and throughout your community.

Follow these Tips for Creating Monarch Habitat and learn more here.

Give Monarchs Food - Monarch butterflies feed on flower nectar and their young feed on the leaves of milkweed, their only caterpillar host plant. Plant native milkweed and other blooming plants in your garden beds to provide monarchs with a food source for both their adult and juvenile phase.

Choose Native Milkweed - There are over 70 species native to the U.S. Most likely, there's at least one milkweed species native to your region. Many are cultivated and available in garden centers as well as online native plant sellers (This link will redirect you to a third party site). You might find local species not commonly cultivated through members of native plant societies, garden clubs, or butterfly groups. Never dig milkweed from the wild.

Don't Spray Pesticides - Monarchs are insects so if you (or your landscaper or a pest control company) spray broad-spectrum insecticides in your yard, monarch butterflies or caterpillars that come in contact with these insecticides will be killed. Even botanical or organic insecticides kill monarchs and other insects. Similarly, herbicides kill the monarch's nectar and host plants. Instead, rely on tried-and-true natural gardening techniques that minimize the chance of pests becoming established and that use control methods other than pesticides that don't put monarchs at risk.

Learn more about the steps you can take to help monarch butterflies here! Plus, you can find milkweed species near you! This link will redirect to a third party site.

You can even get your own garden certified as a Certified Wildlife Habitat® and put out a sign to communicate your commitment to wildlife!

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