Books & Butterflies: Migrating Monarch Butterflies are placed on the endangered species list
The International Union for Conservation of Nature, a conservation organization based in Switzerland, has added migratory monarch butterflies to the endangered species list. The number of migratory monarchs has declined dramatically in the past ten years.
Reasons for the decline:
- Urban sprawl destroys forested and meadow areas destroying butterfly habitat and their migratory stops
- Pesticide and herbicide use
- Severe and unusual weather in 2010
Migratory butterflies begin their journey in the eastern portion of North America and work their way to the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico. They then return to areas of the United States and Canada to breed. We usually see a large population of butterflies in Northeast Ohio in early fall, as they make their way to warmer temperatures for the winter.
How Can Students Help?
- Plant more milkweed plants
- Plant more nectar flowers
- Build butterfly way stations for migratory monarchs
- Limit pesticides and herbicides
- Maintain forests and natural spaces
- Learn more.
We Have a Book! Environmentalism in the Classroom.
Butterflies Belong Here. By Deborah Hopkinson
“Butterflies Belong Here is a powerful story of everyday activism and hope. In this moving story of community conservation, a girl finds a home in a new place and a way to help other small travelers. This book is about the real change children can make in conservation and advocacy—in this case, focusing on beautiful monarch butterflies. The protagonist is a girl whose family has recently immigrated to the United States. Butterflies Belong Here is proof that even the smallest of us are capable of amazing transformations.”
How Can We Help?
- Plant more milkweed plants
- Plant more nectar flowers
- Build butterfly way stations for migratory monarchs
- Limit pesticides and herbicides
- Maintain forests and natural spaces
More Resources:
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/monarch-butterflies-are-now-an-endangered-species
- https://www.britannica.com/animal/monarch-butterfly
- https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Monarch-Butterfly
Local Information
- https://www.conservancyforcvnp.org/experience/connecting-with-your-park/cuyahoga-connections-monarch-butterflies/
- https://www.cleveland19.com/story/36475732/you-and-ohios-prisoners-can-help-monarch-butterflies-heres-how/
- http://ccecolumbiagreene.org/4-h-and-youth-development/4-h-natural-resources/monarch-butterflies
- https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=759673
Build a Way Station
- https://monarchwatch.org/waystations
- https://www.americanmeadows.com/
- http://butterfly-lady.com/how-to-create-a-monarch-waystation/
It is hard to help children feel connected to an endangered species, but right now, right here in our community . . . We can all help the monarchs.
