The Monarch Project

According to a journal article published in Science, 554 species of butterflies have shown a 22% decline in population over the past two decades. This alarming rate of butterfly population decline is due to factors such as pesticide use, climate change, and habitat loss. Monarch butterflies especially have shown a concerning decline in population. During the 2020 Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count, which is performed every year by the Xerces Society to measure monarch population sizes in California, only 1,914 butterflies were counted, a concerning 99.9% decline from when the count started in the 1980s. 

Graph courtesy of Xerces Society.

During the winter, monarch butterflies migrate from the northern US down to warmer Mexico. This is crucial for their survival during winter months. As a result, many monarchs find roosting sites for shelter during their migration. Typically, monarchs roost in pine, fir, and cedar trees. To learn more about monarch migration and roosting, check out this website from the USDA's U.S Forest Service. 

Photo shows monarch butterfly migration routes. Photo courtesy of Xerces Society.

West High Biology Club committed Coralville mayor Meghann Foster to the Mayor's Monarch Pledge and further asked Iowa City mayor Bruce Teague to consider. More information about the pledge can be found here.