Monarchs on the Move

For his 9th birthday a few years ago, Carter Steadman didn’t want any presents. Instead, he asked for donations. He wanted to create a way station for monarch butterflies. “It’s a place where monarchs can stop and lay eggs,” explains Carter, now in sixth grade. 

With his parents’ help, Carter cleared an area in his backyard in Virginia. Next, he planted rows of flowering plants called milkweed—monarchs’ main source of food. Then he waited for the butterflies to come.

Carter Steadman turned 9 a few years ago. But he didn’t want any presents for his birthday. Instead, he asked for donations. He wanted to create a way station for monarch butterflies. “It’s a place where monarchs can stop and lay eggs,” explains Carter. He’s now in sixth grade. 

Carter’s parents helped him clear an area in his backyard in Virginia. Next, he planted rows of milkweed. These plants are the main source of food for monarchs. Then he waited for the butterflies to come.

Every fall, millions of monarchs fly up to 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) from Canada and the United States to Mexico (see Monarch Migration). There, the insects spend the winter clustered in trees in the mountains. In the spring, their offspring travel back north, stopping along the way to eat and reproduce.

This yearly migration is one of the most impressive in the animal kingdom. But its future is uncertain. Human activity and climate change are destroying monarch habitats. That’s why people like Carter are joining scientists to help the butterflies before it’s too late.

Millions of monarchs fly up to 4,800 kilometers (3,000 miles) every fall. They travel from Canada and the United States to Mexico (see Monarch Migration). There, the insects spend the winter in trees in the mountains. Their young travel back north in the spring. They stop along the way to eat and lay eggs.

This yearly migration is one of nature’s most amazing journeys. But its future is uncertain. Human activity and climate change are destroying monarch habitats. That’s why people like Carter are joining scientists. They want to help the butterflies before it’s too late.

Monarch butterflies live all over the world, from the Americas to Australia and India. But none journey as far as the monarchs of North America. “Their migration is awe-inspiring,” says Karen Oberhauser. She’s a monarch researcher at the University of Minnesota.

These butterflies leave Mexico in March. They breed as they migrate. Females lay eggs across northern Mexico and the southern United States, beginning a new life cycle (see Cycle of Life). The older butterflies die, and their offspring continue north.

Monarch butterflies live all over the world. They’re found from the Americas to Australia and India. But none travel as far as the monarchs of North America. “Their migration is awe-inspiring,” says Karen Oberhauser. She’s a monarch scientist at the University of Minnesota.

The butterflies leave Mexico in March. They breed as they migrate. Females lay eggs across northern Mexico and the southern United States. That begins a new life cycle for monarchs (see Cycle of Life). The older butterflies die. But their young continue north.

Over the summer, several more generations are born. In September, the youngest butterflies begin the trek back to Mexico. Many return to the same forests their great-great-grandparents visited!

But in recent years, fewer butterflies are surviving their trips. People are killing milkweed plants to make room for crops and lawns. Climate change is also a threat. More storms are toppling trees where monarchs spend the winter.

Several more groups of monarchs are born over the summer. The youngest butterflies fly back to Mexico in September. Many monarchs return to the same forests their great-great-grandparents visited!

But fewer butterflies are surviving their trips in recent years. Why? People are killing milkweed plants. They’re making room for crops and lawns. Climate change is also a threat. More storms are knocking down trees where monarchs spend the winter.

Luckily, monarchs have some important allies. Over the past 60 years, thousands of people have helped scientists study these incredible insects.

The effort began in the 1950s. Back then, monarchs’ migration paths were unknown. But a butterfly scientist named Fred Urquhart had a plan. He and his wife, Norah, recruited volunteers across North America to track the monarchs.

These citizen scientists attached tiny stickers called tags to the butterflies’ wings. Anyone who found a tag sent it back to Urquhart. The tags told Urquhart where each butterfly started out and ended up.

Luckily, monarchs have some friends on their side. People have been helping scientists study these insects for the past 60 years. 

The effort began in the 1950s. The migration paths of monarchs were unknown back then. But a butterfly scientist named Fred Urquhart had a plan. He worked with his wife, Norah. They gathered helpers across North America to track the monarchs.

These citizen scientists attached tiny stickers to butterflies’ wings. They’re called tags. Anyone who found a tag sent it back to Urquhart. The tags told Urquhart where each butterfly started out and ended up.

Today, people continue to tag monarchs through Monarch Watch, an organization based at the University of Kansas. Some citizen scientists also count monarch eggs and caterpillars. Others share photos online.

“It’s like a huge Easter egg hunt across the whole continent,” says Elizabeth Howard. She founded Journey North, a website that tracks monarch sightings. “We have everyone from kindergartners to the oldest scientists following the migration,” she says.

Today, people continue to tag monarchs. Some citizen scientists also count monarch eggs and caterpillars. Others share photos online.

“It’s like a huge Easter egg hunt across the whole continent,” says Elizabeth Howard. She founded Journey North. This website tracks monarch sightings. “We have everyone from kindergartners to the oldest scientists following the migration,” she says.

Reports from citizen scientists are extremely valuable. “They paint a picture of how the monarch population is doing,” says Oberhauser, the monarch researcher in Minnesota. Scientists have learned, for example, that monarchs are at risk of extinction within the next 20 years. 

That’s where kids like Carter and others can help. By planting butterfly gardens, they’re restoring the habitat monarchs need to survive. “Humans may be the problem, but we’re also the solution,” says Carter.

Over the past four years, Carter has raised and tagged more than 700 monarch butterflies. And he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. “If we’re careful with our Earth,” he says, “monarchs will rebound, and we’ll have a success story to tell.”

Reports from citizen scientists are important. “They paint a picture of how the monarch population is doing,” says Oberhauser. She’s the monarch researcher in Minnesota. For example, scientists have learned that monarchs are at risk of extinction. That could happen within the next 20 years. 

Kids like Carter and others can help. They’re bringing back monarchs’ habitat by planting butterfly gardens. “Humans may be the problem, but we’re also the solution,” says Carter.

Carter has raised and tagged more than 700 monarch butterflies. That’s just over the past four years. And he doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon. 

“If we’re careful with our Earth, monarchs will rebound, and we’ll have a success story to tell,” he says.