Michigan’s Monarch Butterflies Face Critical Habitat Challenges

Monarch butterflies could soon be disappearing in Michigan, as experts are concerned, for many reasons, that they are very much at risk of extinction.

Monarch butterflies are beautiful and iconic, but recently, a study was done to determine how their numbers are holding up, and the results are concerning.

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WoodTV recently released a story of the report, which spells out the bigger picture when it comes to this species:

An annual count of monarch butterflies conducted by the United States and Mexico as the insects migrate back and forth over the border finds habitat for the insects isn’t enough to sustain their populations, and they are at-risk for extinction.

 

As they continued, even though monarch numbers are up, it's the habitat issues that seem to be the biggest issue:

While the annual census released Tuesday by the World Wildlife Fund-Telmex Telcel Foundation Alliance, and the National Commission of Protected Natural Areas in Mexico, found a slight increase in monarch numbers this past year from the previous year, conservationists say there isn’t enough land for monarchs to safely migrate and maintain their numbers.

How To Attract Monarch Butterflies

A great way to draw Monarchs to your garden and give them a habitat to thrive is to plant native milkweed, which is the only host plant for larvae, as well as a variety of nectar-rich flowers. You should also absolutely avoid pesticides to keep their habitat safe.

Hopefully, the butterflies can bounce back from this concerning report, and more gardens can be put into place to get them thriving again.