Drastic Drop in Monarch Butterflies Over the Past Year

Thursday, February 6th, 2025 -- 9:00 AM

(Wisconsin Radio Network) A drastic drop in monarch butterflies over the past year.

According to the Wisconsin Radio Network, a count of the monarchs at a site owned by The Nature Conservancy in Santa Barbara, California saw over 33-thousand monarchs last winter.

This year, the site hosted only 198 of the butterflies, marking a 30-year low. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources says our state is the core breeding ground for the eastern migratory monarch population, with the state’s milkweed perpetuating several generations of the butterflies each spring and summer.

An increase in herbicide use in the state over the decades has led to steep losses of milkweed. Environmentalists encourage planting milkweed and nectar flowers to help sustain the monarch population.

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