It might sound unfortunate that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed last week to add the monarch butterfly to Endangered Species Act protection.
The good news is there are things that Riverside and Brookfield residents can do that will help mitigate the monarch’s challenges, according to Andre Copeland, Brookfield Zoo’s manager of interpretive programs.
“There are some definite threats,” Copeland said, noting changes in climate and breeding play a big role. “Lack of milkweed is one of the biggest problems.”
Like bees, monarch butterflies are pollinators, pollinating many of the U.S. food crops. The issue, Copeland said, is that 2024 saw a 59% drop in monarch butterfly population.
But to get a sense of what that means, you have to understand the full picture, which starts in Mexico, primarily the states of Mexico and Michoacan.
“The travels of the monarch butterflies are amazing,” Copeland said, noting that it takes more than one generation to make its way to Riverside and Brookfield. When the monarchs cross the border into the U.S. in March, April and May, they give birth to the first generation.
“We generally start to see that first generation of adults in late May or June,” he said, adding that adult generations live about 28 days. After crossing the border, the monarchs will advance across Arizona and Oklahoma through the middle part of the country, where milkweed is prevalent, including Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. By late summer, you’ll see the stragglers of the third generation.
Why is milkweed so important? That’s where mother monarchs lay their eggs. Problem is, common milkweed is an aggressive grower and reaches up to eight feet tall. Often, they are eliminated by herbicides that contain glyphosates and neonicotinoids.
But when you eliminate those, you eliminate a breeding ground for a key food pollinator.
“When people think about pollinators, people think about bees,” Copeland said. “Monarchs tend to move and have larger home ranges than bees do. They can help pollinate in ways bees can’t.”
With the help of the zoo, local residents can take practical steps to help monarchs. For example, they can approach their housing authorities to let them know that there are different types of milkweed that can be planted, like rose, or swamp, milkweed that doesn’t grow as tall and aggressive as common milkweed.
“Companion planting or other forms of organic gardening will help in this situation,” he said. “A lot of times, if you really know your plants, there are certain things you can plant, like mint or peppermint, which keeps rodents away and certain species of ants.”
Brookfield Zoo is doing its part to mitigate this problem. It participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE North American Monarch Program, which helps identify survival threats, support recovery and offer community members opportunities to learn more about at-risk species.
There’s more. The zoo’s Next Century Plan has monarchs in mind with aims for a new, permanent butterfly house as part of its Wildlife Discovery Zone. It will feature a lush, indoor experience with year-round opportunities for guests to learn about the lifecycle and migration of important pollinators.
But the biggest event will occur May 3 when the zoo will host its annual Partnership for Pollinators Celebration. In conjunction with the Illinois Monarch Project, residents can learn from experts on the challenges impacting monarch populations and practical steps the public can take to support their recovery. More information is available at brookfieldzoo.org.
Finally, it’s Butterflies! Habitat is a seasonal exhibit that offers a home to hundreds of butterflies native to America, including monarchs. If you enter through the zoo’s north gate and head toward Roosevelt Fountain, the exhibit is on the right side. In addition to viewing the butterflies, residents can learn about plant species that attract butterflies and what to plant in their own backyard.
The idea is community involvement for the greater good.
“People can be part of something bigger and make a big difference,” Copeland said.
