Skip to main content
CWF logo
Sign In
Username

Password
Forgot?
Not a Member?   Register Today
Français
Donate
Shop
Subscribe
  • Donate
    • Ways to Give
    • Single
    • Monthly
    • Shop CWF
    • Adopt-an-animal
    • Fundraise
    • In Tribute
      • In Honour
      • In Memory
    • Gift of Securities
    • Symbolic Gifts
    • Legacy Giving
    • Corporate
      • Major Gifts
      • Sponsorship
  • About Us
    • Why Canada's Wildlife Needs Us
    • Contact Us
    • Supporter Centre
    • FAQs
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Board Of Directors
    • Foundation
    • Senior Staff
    • Reports
    • Privacy & Policies
      • Accesssibility
      • Policies
  • What We Do
    • What We Do
    • Coasts & Oceans
    • Forests & Fields
    • Lakes & Rivers
    • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
    • Education & Leadership
    • Connecting With Nature
  • Resources
    • Check out our resources
    • DIY
    • Downloads
    • Encyclopedias
    • Events
    • For Educators
    • Games
    • Printed Materials
    • Reports & Papers
  • News & Media
    • Blogs
    • Brand Guidelines & Logos
    • In the News
    • Magazines
    • Newsletters
    • Press Releases
  • Blog
  • Magazine
  • Shop
  • Site Search
  • Sign In
  • Français
  • Donate
  • What We Do
  • Resources
  • News & Media
  • About Us
  • Français
  • Site Search
  • Sign In
  • Français
  • Ways to Give
    • Single
    • Monthly
    • In Honour
    • In Memory
    • Adopt an Animal
    • Shop CWF
    • Symbolic Gifts
    • Fundraising
    • Legacy Giving
    • Gift of Securities
    • Corporate
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Supporter Centre
    • FAQs
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Jobs
    • Funding
    • Board Of Directors
    • Foundation
    • Senior Staff
    • Reports
      • └ Annual
      • └ Financial
    • Privacy & Policies
      • └ Accesssibility
      • └ Policies
  • What We Do
    • Coasts & Oceans
    • Forests & Fields
    • Lakes & Rivers
    • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
    • Education & Leadership
    • Connecting With Nature


    • Agriculture & Habitat
    • American Eels
    • Aquaculture
    • Backyard Birds
    • Bats
    • Bioblitz
    • Camping and Nature
    • Chinook Salmon
    • Conservation Awards
    • Educator Training
    • Expecting Parents
    • Family Nature Club
    • Fish Passage
    • Freshwater Turtles
    • Gardening For Wildlife
    • Gardening in Schools
    • Monarchs
    • National Wildlife Week
    • Photo Club
    • Pollinators
    • Right Whale
    • River Barriers
    • Rivers to Oceans Week
    • Teens in Nature
    • Wildlife in Winter
    • Young Adults in Nature
  • Resources
    • DIY
    • Downloads
      • └ Booklets & Handouts
      • └ Colouring Pages
      • └ E-cards
      • └ Podcasts
      • └ Reports & Papers
      • └ Wallpapers
      • └ Webinars
    • Events
    • Encyclopedias
      • └ Native Plants
      • └ Invasive Aquatic Species
      • └ Common Animal Fact Sheets
      • └ Common Plant Fact Sheets
    • For Educators
      • └ Curriculum Fit
      • └ Educational Units
      • └ Lesson Plans
      • └ Resource Sheets
    • Games
      • └ Interactive
      • └ Quizzes
      • └ Crafts & Activities
    • Printed Materials
      • └ Calendar
      • └ Magazines
      • └ Manuals
      • └ Posters
  • News & Media
    • Blogs
    • Brand Guidelines & Logos
    • In The News
    • Magazines
    • Newsletters
    • Press Releases
  • Why Support Wildlife
  • |
  • What We Do
  • |
  • Get Involved
Donate
Adopt
Facebook Twitter Wordpress Youtube Instagram Pintrest

The Butterfly Effect

cwf-fcf.org > English > News & Media > Articles
  • Explore Our Articles
  • Search our Articles
  • Backyard Habitat
  • Canada's Waters
  • Climate Change
  • Endangered Species
  • Flora & Fauna
  • Funded Projects
  • Gardening

Story

By April Overall

Monarch-Butterfly480

Every autumn, approximately 60 million butterflies fly nearly 2,500 kilometres to central Mexico to escape the cold. But it seems this year’s trek has proven difficult for the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), as it’s had the lowest population levels on record. Their current colony size measures up at a mere 1.92 hectares, down from 2004’s 2.19 hectares. If that isn’t shocking enough, these beauties measured in at 21.6 hectares in 1995. It seems dropping temperatures are primarily responsible for the monarch’s dropping numbers.

Monarchs reach central Mexico to over winter in high-altitude fir forests. These trees are crucial to protecting the butterflies from chilly, hot and stormy weather. However, deforestation, illegal logging and forest fires have all helped to drive down the monarch butterfly’s population. The butterflies that survive the winter fly north to Texas in late February to early March, where they reproduce.

Monarchs exclusively lay their eggs on milkweed plants. These plants contain a poison called cardiac glycosides, which protects the monarch from predators. Texas experienced a drought this past spring, which in turn drove down the growth of milkweed. Moreover, the agricultural industry has introduced genetically engineered crops like soybeans and corn, which stops milkweed from growing in the fields. As a result, monarchs, which usually rely on these fields to lay their eggs on milkweed, are forced to search for other locations.

Finally, the cold summer has also impaired the monarch’s northern trek. The monarch is incredibly sensitive to temperature. As such, during a warm summer they’ll produce up to four generations, whereas during a colder summer they’ll produce two generations. As a result of the cold summer, the monarch’s numbers are fewer than ideal. However, that also means there’s hope for next year, should the weather prove balmy!

Wondering how you can help the monarch? Toss out all the pesticides and herbicides in your garage, plant common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata) and butterfly weed (A. tuberosa) in your garden, and make sure you provide the monarch with a water source.

Facebook Twitter Wordpress Youtube Instagram Pinterest
CWF

About Us

  • Ways to Give
  • Contact Us
  • Supporter Centre
  • Corporate Sponsorship
  • Careers
  • Funding
  • Board of Directors
  • Foundation
  • Reports
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy & Policies

What We Do

  • Endangered Species & Biodiversity
  • Lakes & Rivers
  • Coasts & Oceans
  • Forests & Fields
  • Education & Leadership
  • Connecting With Nature

Explore

  • Agriculture & Habitat
  • American Eels
  • Aquaculture
  • Bats
  • Below Zero
  • Bioblitz
  • Canadian Conservation Awards
  • Canadian Conservation Corps
  • #DoMoreForWildlife
  • Fish Passage
  • Freshwater Turtles
  • Gardening For Wildlife
  • Great Canadian Campout
  • Monarchs
  • Mother Goose
  • Photo Club
  • Pollinators
  • Reconnecting Canadians
  • Right Whale
  • River Barriers
  • Salmon
  • Rivers to Oceans Week
  • Wild About Birds
  • WILD Education
  • WILD Family Nature Club
  • WILD Outside
  • WILD Spaces

News & Media

  • Blogs
  • Newsletters
  • Press Releases
  • Magazines
  • In the News
  • Branding Guidelines & Logos

Resources

  • DIY
  • Downloads
  • Encyclopedias
  • Events
  • For Educators
  • Games
  • Reports & Papers
  • Manuals

Partner Websites

  • AquaticHabitat.ca
  • BanWithAPlan.org
  • Canadian Marine Animal Response
  • Foundation
  • Hinterland Who's Who
  • iNaturalist.ca
  • Love Your Lake
  • Quest for Canada's Great Whales
Français - Accueil

© 2021 Canadian Wildlife Federation. All Rights Reserved.

Charitable registration # 10686 8755 RR0001