Monarch Butterfly Population Declines: How East Texans Can Help

The majestic monarch butterfly is an iconic sight in East Texas during its annual migration. These orange-and-black-winged insects travel thousands of miles to their winter home in Mexico, a phenomenon described as 'the most spectacular in the insect world' by the U.S. Forest Service.

Unfortunately, the monarch population has been declining over the years. In the winter of 1996-97, they occupied 44.93 acres of forest in Mexico, but last year that number dropped to 7.23 acres. Scientists warn that a minimum of 14-15 occupied acres is needed to support a migrating population.

But there's hope for these magnificent creatures. With the right habitat and care, monarchs can thrive. In fact, Allyson Langston had a personal experience with this. She discovered monarch caterpillars had defoliated her milkweed plants, but soon after, chrysalises appeared on nearby plants. After about eight days, the chrysalises split open, revealing fully formed monarch butterflies.

Milkweed is essential for monarchs to survive. It's their only host plant and contains a toxin that makes them poisonous to birds. East Texas has native milkweeds like green milkweed (Asclepias viridis) and swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata). By planting these in our gardens, we can help support the monarch population.