Milkweed Matters

03/23/2026

Thank you Nebraska Girl Scout Troop 48645! We had a fun workshop! The girls learned about endangered pollinators, habitat loss, and monarch butterflies. They helped restore habitat by making milkweed and nectar flower seedballs and worked to earn their conservation badges. The seedballs will be taken to RAGBRAI and passed out to riders to toss along the roadsides and help restore habitat. Well done girls! 🦋 🌱

03/22/2026

After two photos came in yesterday, we can confirm that monarch butterflies have reached Oklahoma!

The migration is moving north. When you see your first monarch of the year, let us know!

03/19/2026

Here they come! It’s so fascinating to watch the radio tagged monarchs begin their migration north. These monarch migrators were equipped with radio tags last fall and made their migration to Mexico, over wintered and are now heading back north. These migrating butterflies are the super generation and can live up to 8 months. They will mate and lay their eggs on milkweed and then their lives are complete and the cycle will begin again. This is why it is so important that the butterflies heading north find nectar and milkweed to lay their eggs on. Plant milkweed and other native nectar flowers! Thank you Monarch Watch for this update! 🌱🐛🦋

03/18/2026

This looks fascinating! 🦋

Are you interested in monarchs and their overwintering habitats?

Our next webinar will take you inside Mexico's oyamel fir forests with Court Whelan, a Natural Habitat Adventures expedition leader and chief sustainability officer, as well as an MJV board member.

Throughout his education and career, Court's work has been about “conserving the world through nature and educational travel experiences," as he puts it. During this webinar, he will dive into the forests that make this habitat so special and unpack the science behind how and why monarchs migrate there each year. The session will cover a wide range of topics, offering both big-picture context and fascinating scientific insights.

Sign up by clicking the link in the comments.

Photo: Court Whelan

03/17/2026

Thank you Monarch Joint Venture! 🦋

The eastern monarch butterfly population overwintering in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests occupied 2.93 hectares (7.24 acres) during the 2025-2026 overwintering season, according to the latest survey released by Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) and WWF México.

This represents about a 64% increase compared to last year’s estimate of 1.79 hectares.

Read more by clicking the link in the comments.

03/17/2026

🦋 Good news for the Eastern Monarch butterfly population! The official count is in and their numbers increased by 64% when compared to last year. While these results are encouraging, we remain guardedly optimistic and know that habitat restoration efforts must continue. Thank you Monarch Watch for this encouraging report! 🦋

Monarch overwintering numbers have been released today for the eastern monarch, and this season's numbers are higher than last year's.

The WWF-Telmex Telcel Foundation Alliance, in collaboration with the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), and the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (MBBR), announced the total forest area occupied by overwintering monarch colonies today. Nine colonies were located this winter season with a total area of 2.93 hectares, a 64% increase from the previous season (1.79 hectares).

You can view details on our blog post, "Monarch Population Status," at monarchwatch.org/blog (or find the link in the comments). We'll post more details there as they become available.

03/16/2026

Monarchs are on the move for their spring migration! Radio tags allow tracking of their progress in real time. Thank you Monarch Watch for this update! 🦋👏

For more information about the radio tags and how to download the Project Monarch app to track radio tagged butterflies, visit:
https://swmonarchs.org/ProjectMonarch.php

03/15/2026

We are working with an Eagle Scout from Bellevue, NE on his service project. He will be helping restore pollinator habitat along roadsides and in the community. We had a very productive milkweed seedball workshop with his troop, family and friends. Great job Emmett! 👏🦋

03/09/2026

This is a beautiful quote and so true! Thank you Butterfly Lady! 🦋💕

I love this quote from David Suzuki, a Canadian environmental activist and founder of the David Suzuki Foundation.