Using community science to map western monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in spring
Erickson E, Jason C, Machiorlete H and others. Ecology and evolution, December 2023.
Read the paper Free to read · doi:10.1002/ece3.10766
What this paper is about
Western monarchs are counted carefully in winter, but spring is when the population is smallest and the records were thinnest. The Western Monarch Mystery Challenge asked the public to photograph monarchs in early spring.
The resulting records were used to map where the population actually is at the point in the year when it is most vulnerable.
Summarised here from the abstract below. Not the authors’ words.
Abstract
Migratory animals follow seasonal cycles comprising linked phases often with different habitat requirements and demographic processes. Conservation of migratory species therefore must consider the full seasonal cycle to identify points limiting population viability. For western monarch butterflies, which have experienced significant declines, early spring is considered a critical period in the annual population cycle. However, records of western monarchs in early spring, when overall abundance is lowest, have historically been extremely limited. We used a community science initiative, the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge, to collect data on monarch distribution throughout the western United States between February 14th and April 22nd over 3 years. Using data from the Western Monarch Mystery Challenge and iNaturalist, we identified potential breeding habitat for western monarchs in early spring that spanned a large geographic area and several ecoregions. We observed monarchs in early spring that likely eclosed in the current year, suggesting that population expansion from overwintering sites reflects both movement and population growth. The number of records of western monarchs from early spring was higher during the Mystery Challenge (33.0/year) than earlier years (5.1/year). This study demonstrates the potential for and limitations of community science to increase our understanding of species at points in the life cycle when they are rare.
Abstract reproduced from the published paper, which is licensed CC BY. Copyright remains with the authors.
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title = {Using community science to map western monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) in spring (listing)},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/research/using-community-science-to-map-western-monarch-butterflies-danaus-2023/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}