Thousands of people from across North America will be breaking out their magnifying glasses over the next 10 days to take part in the International Monarch Butterfly Blitz. The citizen science event, running from July 31 to Aug. 9, is encouraging anyone with a curious mind to look for monarch eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, or butterflies. Participants can then record their observations of the endangered species through various programs, including the one run by the Montreal Insectarium. “Participating is easy, whether you’re in an urban or rural area. When you’re out for a walk or a family outing, or during your daily activities, keep your eyes peeled for monarchs and milkweed. Then, simply enter your sightings on the Mission Monarch platform," the Insectarium explained. “This provides a wealth of scientific data that can help establish conservation measures for this butterfly,” says Julia Meyer, project manager at the Montreal Insectarium. The monarch butterfly has been classified as endangered in Canada since December 2023. “In recent years, we’ve seen their numbers decline by 90 per cent,” said Meyer, citing many reasons including habitat loss and an increase in extreme weather events. ‘Umbrella’ species “By protecting the monarch, we’re helping many pollinators that play important ecological roles,” said Meyer. Using data collected over the past nine years, it’s possible to view an interactive map showing the areas with the highest monarch populations and those that warrant further observation. The best place to spot them is generally where milkweed grows, because it’s the monarch caterpillars’ favourite plant. Last year, 9,000 people answered the Insectarium’s call. For the tenth edition, the organization hopes to reach 10,000 more. “Across the three countries combined, nearly 25,000 participants have counted monarchs so far,” said Meyer. - With files from Noovo Info
