Due to this, the number of monarch butterflies has decline by more than 90% in the last 20 years.

September heralds the beginning of the annual migration of Monarch butterflies spanning some 3,000 miles journeying from different parts of the United States as well as Canada towards Mexico and other destinations in the south. Insect conservationists get busy during this period and in the current year; the journey assumes greater significance since the majestic butterflies have been through one of their most devastating decline in population in recent times. Brukner Nature Center, Troy, Ohio is one among such groups. While considering statistics by the Little River Wetlands Project, Betsy Yankowiak, Director of Preserves and Programs at the project, said that about 12 years ago, monarch butterflies covered more than 25 acres in Mexico. According to wildlife biologist Karen Viste-Sparkman from the Neal Smith Refuge in Iowa, every little bit of effort helps, and it does not take an enormous amount of plants in any one area to help the monarch butterflies, especially during migration season. However, the monarch butterfly commonly known as the pollinator and with all its beauty is under threat.

Bowell explained that while the dire circumstances that monarch butterflies’ are in have been recognized, there are a lot of other butterflies species that are in the same situation, dropping numbers left and right.

The nature center hopes that raising awareness for the monarchs’ decline will lead to a broader awareness regarding the fate of other pollinators that are also facing population decline. The festival also featured several events like crafts and games.

Families attending the celebration were encouraged to learn more by interacting with free-roaming butterflies in a controlled environment. They also taught attendees a few steps on how to track butterflies through tagging.

Riley continued to point out “the drop is linked to the destruction of monarch habitat, as massive use of glyphosate in farm fields along the “Butterfly Highway” through the US and Canada has killed the milkweed plants monarch caterpillars need to survive”. Hence, conservationists are now commanding people to plant milkweed in their gardens. Many organizations concerned with the declining population of the monarchs are now working in tandem to collect the milkweed seeds during fall and sow them in different regions. Ferguson says that no native butterfly of any species will lay their eggs on it.