Monarch Links

Monarch Sites - General

Journey North - a site devoted to tracking the migrations of many wildlife species
MonarchWatch - a comprehensive site dedicated to education, conservation, and research on monarchs
Texas Monarch Watch - a Texas Parks and Wildlife sponsored program monitoring all stages of monarchs in Texas
MonarchParasites.org - Welcome to the world of monarch butterfly parasites! In this website you will find information about the Ophryocystis elektroskirrha (Oe) parasite, how to rear healthy monarchs, check for parasites in adult monarchs, and some of the latest research from on OE.
The Monarch Butterfly in North America - A website put together by several federal agencies that is a gateway to news, information, activities, and resources about the biology and conservation of monarch butterflies.
Monarch Stock Photography at FotoSearch - hundreds of images of the monarch, including National Geographic images
Butterfly Diplomacy: An Immigration Policy for Monarchs (article in Miller-McCune, June 13, 2008) - North America's monarch "is one of the largest of our butterflies and rules a vast domain." But it's in trouble on both ends of its massive migration.

Monarch Citizen Science

The Southwest Monarch Project is studying the migration patterns of Monarch Butterflies in Arizona. They are working to 1) identify and describe the migration behavior of monarchs as they travel through the southwestern United States each fall, 2) provide a meaningful research project for citizen scientists of all ages throughout Arizona, and 3) encourage and monitor monarch conservation activities in Arizona. One of the most exciting findings documented by this project is recoveries of monarchs tagged in Arizona in both Mexico and California.
Monarch Watch - track migrating monarchs as part of a continent-wide tagging program
Journey North - help to track the migrations of many wildlife species, including monarchs
Monarch Monitoring Project - help track monarch migrations in Cape May NJ
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project - help track the distribution and abundance of monarch eggs and larvae throughout the monarch breeding range
North American Butterfly Association - participate in the annual 4th of July Butterfly count
Texas Monarch Watch - track the migration of monarchs through Texas each fall and spring
Project MonarchHealth - a monitoring project that surveys monarch butterflies for infection by the protozoan parasite Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE)

Monarch Education

Blake School Monarch Butterfly Project - projects and student-written information on monarchs
Monarch Butterfly Magic - resource pages for educators who are preparing a cross-curricular unit revolving around the theme of the life cycle and migratory habits of the monarch butterfly
Monarch Magic - offers a student monarch garden, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to help protect the monarch
Monarchs and Migration - learn more about monarch migration, run by the Science Museum of Minnesota
Monica the Monarch - a site created by an 8th grader from New Jersey on how to raise monarchs
Nature North Zine on Monarchs - lots of basic information on monarchs, including taxonomy
Texas Environmental Studies Institute - explores monarch butterflies, Texas fossils, Texas rivers and other environmental science programs serving the students of the Gulf Coast area of Texas.
Victoria Christian School - a middle school that keeps a log of its monarch observations, many good photos here
Monarch Life Cycle Photographs - many great photos of monarchs
Milkweed and Ozone Pollution - citizen monitoring research activity for teachers and students
Monarch Butterfly Thematic Resource Unit - excellent clearinghouse of resources for teachers using monarchs in their classrooms
Monarch Population Dynamics Meeting - 2001 Proceedings and group summaries
www.monarchpublishers.com - Monarch Books for kids
Monarch Butterfly Mania (http://www.evansonart.com/monarch.html) - Follow one family's journey of learning to raise Monarch butterflies. This site has lots of great pictures and is very informative.

Monarch Conservation

Ecotourism: A Tool for Sustainable Development - an informational article on ecotourism issues
The Monarch Butterfly Fund, MBF - MBF is formed through the merger of the Michoacán Reforestation Fund (MRF) and the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary Foundation (MBSF). While the focus of MBF will be on the overwintering sites, in select cases conservation activities may take place in the breeding or migratory range. MBF will support forest conservation, restoration, and scientific research.
Mystery of the Monarchs - an Earth & Sky article about monarch migration and possible threats to the monarch
Monarch Alert Project - collaborative research to locate sites where monarchs stop during their fall migration in California

Monarch Current Events

Flying Into Climate Change: The Monarch butterfly may be the next victim of a warming world
The Entomological Society of America had a symposium on monarchs at their Pacific Branch Meeting on March 2, 2005. Speakers included monarch biologists Lincoln Brower, Chip Taylor, Karen Oberhauser, Dennis Frey, Sonia Altizer and many more. Their abstracts are included.
Bt or not Bt ...Transgenic Corn vs. Monarch Butterflies
Monarch Butterfly Orientation: Missing Pieces of a Magnificent Puzzle
Monarchs Under Siege: Will a Threat Facing a Favourite Butterfly Trigger Gene Crop Fears in the U.S.?

Butterfly Sites

AITLC Guide to the Monarch Butterfly - provides many links to monarch and butterfly related sites
Butterflies of North America - an indexed guide (by state) to butterflies in North America - ran by the U.S. Geological Survey
The Butterfly Website - a lot of information on butterfly gardening, farming, ecology and education.
Children's Butterfly Site - a lot of information on butterflies, includes activities geared towards children
Electronic Resources on Lepidoptera - a site full of links to all facets of butterfly education
Museo Mariposas del Mundo - a museum in Argentina dedicated to butterflies
North American Butterfly Association - a site dedicated to increasing public enjoyment and conservation of butterflies
Tactics and Vectors: Research on Butterfly Migration - a site devoted to promoting field studies on flight tactics and the navigation of migrating butterflies in N.A.
The Butterfly Site - a clearinghouse for butterfly-related websites and resources
Biology of Butterflies - information on the 4th annual Biology of Butterflies meeting, to be held in March 2002 in the Netherlands
Danus - website with links to several other butterfly information sites.
DallasButterflies.com - This site has wonder photos of most stages of several butterflies that occur in Dallas County, including monarchs and all of their close relatives.

Butterfly Gardening Sites

Bring Back the Butterflies Campaign - has a guide to making gardens by region
Butterfly Encounters - sells supplies for butterfly gardens, including seeds from many milkweed species
Butterfly Gardening and Conservation - includes a step-by-step guide to making a garden, run by the Missouri Dept. of Conservation
The Butterfly Zone - the butterfly gardening connection, how to attract butterfies and more!
How to Make Butterfly Gardens - University of Kentucky site, includes nectar preferences for specific butterflies
Ecoregional Planting Guides - Selecting Plants for Pollinators - Invite pollinators to your neighborhood. Plant a pollinator friendly habitat in your garden.

Insect Sites

The Utah Bug Club Guide - Learn how to start your own bug club, or just study insects on your own. A great resources on observing, identifying and collecting all sorts of insects.
The Insects Home Page - many interesting facts and statistics about insects
The Xerces Society - a site focused on public education about invertebrates
BugGuide.Net - online resource devoted to North American insects, piders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information.

Milkweed Sites

MilkweedFarm.com - has information on different Milkweed Species in every state.
Milkweed Diversity
USDA guide to US milkweed species