A highway for butterflies

Monarch butterflies are no ordinary species.

With a wingspan of less than four inches, each year these iconic orange and black miracles trek thousands of miles to their wintering grounds in California and Mexico to enjoy warmer temperatures and longer days. Some fly as far as 3,000 miles, traveling between 50 to 100 miles a day for up to two months.

Habitat loss and pesticide use has made monarchs’ migration more difficult

While the monarch migration is an astounding feat that these tiny insects have accomplished for countless years, this journey is becoming increasingly difficult. A combination of habitat loss, pesticides and disease has driven the United States’ beloved monarch butterfly populations to decline by 80 to 90% since the 1980s.

While a typical monarch life span is just a handful of weeks, migrating monarchs live up to 9 months. Monarchs that migrate north in the spring reproduce and pass away long before their descendents migrate south again. Yet somehow, despite never having been to their destination before, monarchs migrating in the fall know exactly where to go.

But if there’s no food or safe habitat for them along their journey, this miracle could disappear.

Creating roadside pollinator habitat could help restore monarch populations

We need to create more habitat for monarch butterflies by planting native wildflowers that provide nectar to fuel the adults’ taxing flight and milkweed for them to nourish their young.

Along America’s roadsides, there are 10 million acres of potential for perfect pollinator habitat, awaiting transformation into green oases filled with wildflowers that support the health of bees, songbirds, and other wildlife.

Without urgent action, monarch butterflies could go extinct 

In 2021, Environment America helped convince Congress to create the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Program, which will create roadside pollinator habitat, remove challenges to the Monarch’s amazing migration and clear a path to restore monarch populations.

But this program needs funding to get plants in the ground, and this year, Congress hasn’t given it a dime.

Let’s give monarch butterflies a helping hand with pollinator-friendly roadsides. Tell your U.S. representative: Monarchs need our help now.