Migrating Monarch Conservation Gardening

 Migrating Monarch Conservation Gardening by Brionna McCumber

This past winter, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule to list monarch butterflies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. The iconic migration along the east side of the Rocky Mountains sees monarchs flying from as far north as Canada down to the Oyamel forests in Mexico. Most of these butterflies travel through the Great Plains region of the United States, with the Front Range serving as the western boundary of their migratory pathway.

Starting in March, monarchs begin their journey north again, reproducing and laying eggs along the way. Their northward migration continues over multiple generations, limited by the availability of milkweed host plants and nectar sources for adult butterflies. This cycle persists throughout the summer until late August, when the migration south begins once more.

In December 2024, the overwintering populations occupied 4.42 acres of forest in Mexico—nearly double the 2.22 acres recorded in December 2023. While this population increase is exciting news, 2024 still marked the second-lowest year of overwintering monarchs in the past decade. This data, along with the proposed conservation status, highlights the importance of continued conservation efforts for these magnificent butterflies.

The Gardens on Spring Creek actively participates in monarch conservation as a registered Monarch Waystation, providing essential host plants, nectar plants, and shelter for these vital pollinators. For more information about the Monarch Waystation program, visit MonarchWatch.org.

Gardeners in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado can support monarch populations by creating suitable habitats in their home gardens. In addition to planting milkweed, incorporating preferred nectar sources can attract not only monarchs but also a variety of native pollinators.

Determining which plants are best for your garden can be overwhelming. We’ve compiled a list of recommended plant species to support monarchs, based on the most recent scientific findings:

Sources: Source: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.70085 and https://www.xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-019.pdf 

(Spaeth et al, https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.70085), (MonarchWatch.org), (Xerces Society: https://www.xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/19-019.pdf).