Monarch Links

Recent News

• Podcast: Monarch Butterflies, Monarch Lab Research and Getting Involved - The Public Lands Podcast featured the University of Minnesota Monarch Lab and the MJV to discuss monarch butterflies, recent research, and how you can help.
• Monarchs in a Changing World: Biology and Conservation of an Iconic Butterfly - A new book edited by Karen S. Oberhauser, Kelly R. Nail, and Sonia Altizer is now available for purchase!
• NY Times Article: For the Monarch Butterfly, a Long Road Back - This recent NYT article describes concerns and current research relating to year-round breeding on tropical milkweed and its relationship to the OE parasite in monarchs. It features research by Dara Satterfield and Sonia Altizer, and includes quotes from Karen Oberhauser and Chip Taylor.
• Minnesota Public Radio Interview with Dr. Karen Oberhauser - Karen Oberhauser describes the current monarch situation in this 10 minute MPR interview.
• Karen Oberhauser Interview About Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior - Karen Oberhauser did an interview with WORT radio from Madison, WI, about "Lab Lit", focusing on Barbara Kingsolver's book, Flight Behavior.

Monarch Sites - General

• The Reppert Lab - Dr. Steven M. Reppert and his associates at the University of Massachusetts Medical School use anatomical, cellular, molecular, electrophysiological, genetic and behavioral approaches to more fully understand the biological basis of monarch migration, with a focus on the butterfly's navigational abilities and its distinctive circadian clock. Their website is intended as a resource and a gateway for monarch lovers of all stripes (and spots).
• Monarch Stock Photography - At Fotosearch- hundreds of images of the monarch, including National Geographic images.
• 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.
• Project Monarch Health - 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. Also get involved with the Monarch Health citizen science program here!
• Texas Monarch Watch - A Texas Parks and Wildlife sponsored program monitoring all stages of monarchs in Texas. Site admin Mike Quinn was a co-author of Milkweed, Monarchs, and More!
• Monarch Watch - A comprehensive site dedicated to education, conservation, and research on monarchs. See this site for the Monarch Watch Tagging Program.
• Journey North - A site devoted to tracking the migrations of many wildlife species, including monarchs. Citizens can make anecdotal observations that follow monarch breeding, roosting, and spring/fall migration all in real-time!

Monarch Conservation

• Bring Back the Monarchs Campaign - This Monarch Watch campaign provides online information about monarch conservation needs, profiles milkweed species, and provides information about planting, harvesting, and purchasing milkweed.
• Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide - With partial support from the MJV, the Xerces Society has put together a comprehensive guide to milkweeds, including biology/ecology, propagation, benefits to wildlife, and use in restoration projects.
• Soy Monarca (International Resource) - This site provides valuable information about monarch conservation in Mexico. Website is in Spanish.
• Forests for Monarchs - Dedicated to forest restoration and promoting sustainable forest management in Central Mexico to benefit the people and other creatures who depend on the forests, as well as to assure a healthy planet for future generations.
• Monarch Alert - Collaborative research to locate sites where monarchs stop during their fall migration in California.
• Monarch Butterfly Fund - 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.
• Ecotourism: A Tool for Sustainable Development - An informational article on ecotourism issues.
• Monarch Joint Venture - A partnership of federal and state agencies, non-governmental organizations, and academic programs that are working together to support and coordinate efforts to protect the monarch migration across the lower 48 United States.
• 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 Education

• Wild for Monarchs - The Wild for Monarchs PowerPoint presentation is a great educational tool for anyone looking to give a talk about monarchs.
• Monarch Butterfly USA and Monarch Magic - This website provides a great educational book for monarchs called Monarch Magic. With other information about monarchs on the site, it is a very useful tool for educators.
• Flight of the Butterflies - This 3D IMAX film tells the story of Dr. Fred Urquhart's journey with monarch butterflies and the phenomenal monarch migration.
• Monarch Publishers - Monarch books for kids.
• Milkweed and Ozone Pollution - Citizen monitoring research activity for teachers and students .
• Monarch Life Cycle Photographs - Many great monarch photos.
• Victoria Christian School - A middle school that keeps a log of its monarch observations, many good photos here.
• Manitoba Monarchs - Lots of basic information on monarchs, including taxonomy
• Monarchs and Migration - Learn more about monarch migration, run by the Science Museum of Minnesota.
• Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) - Help track the distribution and abundance of monarch eggs and larvae throughout the monarch breeding range.
• Monarch Conservation Webinar Series - The MJV is partnering with the USFWS to develop a series of webinars regarding many aspects of monarch biology and conservation.
• Monarchs in a Changing World: Biology and Conservation of an Iconic Butterfly - A new book edited by Karen S. Oberhauser, Kelly R. Nail, and Sonia Altizer is now available for purchase!

Citizen Science

• Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) - Help track the distribution and abundance of monarch eggs and larvae throughout the monarch breeding range.
• Driven to Discover: Enabling Authentic Inquiry Through Citizen Science - This short video series describes the University of Minnesota Extension Driven to Discover project and getting youth involved in citizen science. Hear from the youth about their projects and learn what scientists are doing to help!
• Monarch Watch - A comprehensive site dedicated to education, conservation, and research on monarchs. See this site for the Monarch Watch Tagging Program.
• Journey North - A site devoted to tracking the migrations of many wildlife species, including monarchs. Citizens can make anecdotal observations that follow monarch breeding, roosting, and spring/fall migration all in real-time!
• Project Monarch Health - 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. Also get involved with the Monarch Health citizen science program here!
• Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count - Participate in the Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count during the week around Thanksgiving and New Year's Day to collect information about the western monarch overwintering population.
• Peninsula Point Monitoring Project - Peninsula Point Monitoring Project is an effort managed by the U.S. Forest Service to monitor monarch larvae and conduct migration counts on the northern shore of Lake Michigan.
• Ohio Butterfly Monitoring Program - This citizen science program of the Ohio Lepidopterists focuses on long-term monitoring of butterfly populations in Ohio.
• Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network - The Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network is a citizen science based monitoring program focused on monitoring butterfly populations in Illinois.
• Correo Real - Track the monarch migration through northern Mexico, volunteers throughout northern Mexico report counts and observations to Correo Real during the fall migration.
• National Phenology Network - The USA National Phenology Network brings together citizen scientists, government agencies, non-profit groups, educators and students of all ages to monitor the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the United States. The network harnesses the power of people and the Internet to collect and share information, providing researchers with far more data than they could collect alone.
• SciStarter - An online database of projects for citizen scientists of all ages to participate in.
• North American Butterfly Association - Participate in the annual 4th of July Butterfly Count.
• Monarch Monitoring Project - Helps to track monarch migrations in Cape May, New Jersey.
• Southwest Monarch Project - 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 Net - The North American network of monarch butterfly monitoring programs.
• Texas Monarch Watch - A Texas Parks and Wildlife sponsored program monitoring all stages of monarchs in Texas. Site admin Mike Quinn was a co-author of Milkweed, Monarchs, and More!

Butterfly Sites

• Butterfly Wing Scale MIC-D Digital Image Gallery - In depth microscopy of butterfly wings. The Olympus MIC-D Digital Microscope is capable of capturing the fine details present in the delicate structures of these fragile, yet versatile structures
• The Dallas County Lepidopterists’ Society - This site has wonderful photos of most stages of several butterflies that occur in Dallas County, including monarchs and all of their close relatives.
• The Butterfly Site - A clearinghouse for butterfly-related websites and resources.
• Museo Mariposas del Mundo - A museum in Argentina dedicated to butterflies from around the world.
• Electronic Resources on Lepidoptera - A site full of links to all facets of butterfly education.
• The Children’s Butterfly Site - A lot of information on butterflies, includes activities geared towards children.
• The Butterfly Webiste - A lot of information on butterfly gardening, farming, ecology and education. For a youth audience.
• Butterflies and Moths of North America - An indexed guide (by state) to butterflies in North America-- by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Butterfly Gardening

• Wild for Monarchs Campaign - In partnership with the MJV, Wild Ones launched the Wild for Monarchs Campaign to endorse the use of native plants to restore habitats to support monarchs.
• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Explore plants using the site's Native Plant Information Network to guide your native plant restoration projects.
• Ecoregional Planting Guides-Selecting Plants for Pollinators - Invite pollinators to your neighborhood. Plant a pollinator friendly habitat in your garden.
• How to Make Butterfly Gardens - University of Kentucky site, includes nectar preferences for specific butterflies.
• Gardening for Monarchs - Resource from the Monarch Joint Venture explains how to set up a monarch and pollinator friendly garden.
• Butterfly Encounters - Sells supplies for butterfly gardens, including seeds from many milkweed species.
• Bring Back the Butterflies Campaign - Has regional garden planting guides.
• Minnesota Wildflowers - Learn about native Minnesota wildflowers and how to identify them.

Milkweed Sites

• Monarch Watch Milkweed Market - Purchase milkweed plugs for your region from Monarch Watch's Milkweed Market.
• Milkweed Seed Finder - Find native milkweed seed suppliers in your state with the Xerces Society's Milkweed Seed Finder.
• Bring Back the Monarchs Campaign - This Monarch Watch campaign provides online information about monarch conservation needs, profiles milkweed species, and provides information about planting, harvesting, and purchasing milkweed.
• Monarchs and Milkweeds: The current situation and methods for propagating milkweeds - This USFS article illustrates the current status of monarchs, dangers they face in breeding and overwintering grounds, and also describes milkweed propagation methods to aid in establishing monarch breeding habitat.
• Milkweeds: A Conservation Practitioner’s Guide - With partial support from the MJV, the Xerces Society has put together a comprehensive guide to milkweeds, including biology/ecology, propagation, benefits to wildlife, and use in restoration projects.
• Western Monarch Milkweed Survey - Help document milkweed habitat in the western U.S. by reporting to the western monarch milkweed survey.
• USDA Guide to USA Milkweed Species - Use the USDA Plants Database to learn more about Asclepias spp., including distribution, classification, and general plant information.
• The Biota of North America Program’s North American Plant Atlas - Select a link for county-level or state-level maps, then "list by genus", then "Asclepias" for maps showing predominance of various milkweed varieties.

Insect Sites

• Bug Guide - Online resource devoted to North American insects,spiders and their kin, offering identification, images, and information.
• The Xerces Society - A site focused on public education about invertebrates and their conservation.
• Utah Bug Club - 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.
• Bed Bugs - Insect collecting and information for kids.

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