Monarch butterflies east of the Canadian Rockies once numbered in the hundreds of millions, but in recent decades, their population has plummeted by more than 80 percent.
Here in Ontario, the eastern North American monarch population is considered a species of special concern and is covered under the Endangered Species Act, 2007. Sadly, it is protected in principle only; there are no actual species or habitat protection measures in place. That doesn’t bode well for these important pollinators.
Monarch butterflies are particularly sensitive due to their extensive migration across the continent and because of their palate for one single plant: milkweed. This bitter plant which thrives in meadows, fields, and on roadsides, is toxic to cattle, as well as horses, sheep, and goats. Because of this threat to livestock, many farmers will do whatever it takes to remove it from in and around their crops. This often means using herbicides, the same agent used to manage vegetation growth under power lines—another spot where milkweed thrives.
By targeting the monarch caterpillar’s only food source and eliminating important habitats like roadsides and under power lines, the local monarch butterfly population is threatened. Why does it matter? Beyond their beauty and well-known status, monarch butterflies are pollinators. Their decline runs in parallel with other pollinator populations, and this drop in number points to environmental problems that pose grave risks to our food systems.
For the past three years, Williamsburg-area resident Christina Enright has been doing what she can to help. This year, she was invited to join the David Suzuki Foundation Butterflyway Project, an initiative that aims to increase the number of patches of native plants and flowers that benefit all pollinators—including Christina’s favourite, the monarch butterfly.
Read on to learn about Christina’s story to protect this precious species, in her own words.
“In the summer of 2018, an injury to my right hand left me unable to do most of the things I enjoy without pain, and keyboarding for any length of time became unbearable. Unable to continue working as a software information developer and facing significant life changes, my physiotherapist suggested that I find a new activity that would not cause pain but would bring me joy. I started walking along our country roads, at first 5 kilometres…then 10 …then 15. My long walks left me free to absorb the nature that surrounded me and led to the discovery of monarch caterpillars. At the same time, a friend mentioned that she had monarch caterpillars in her garden. I asked if I could ‘borrow’ two of them to see them grow and evolve as butterflies. As I promised to nurture them and keep them safe in a natural habitat, she agreed.
Beyond their usefulness as pollinators, the monarch butterfly is one of the most beautiful winged creatures we have the good fortune to enjoy. It would be a shame for us to lose them completely.”
Christina Enright
The first year I kept the caterpillars in an aquarium with a screened top, under an overhang outside our back door. I found them fascinating. I discovered that I could watch the caterpillars for hours. I observed how they ate, slept, pooped—so much poop!—interacted, and moulted. When they eventually hung upside down in the ‘J’ and pupated [formed the chrysalis], I was spellbound. Seeing the butterflies eventually emerge was the icing on the cake. I was hooked. For the rest of 2018 and 2019, when I came across monarch caterpillars on my walks, I would pluck the leaves they were on and bring them home to my protected habitat.
On Facebook, I joined the group ‘The Beautiful Monarch’, a community of monarch enthusiasts and an amazing resource for information, advice, and guidance. I also subscribed to the online newsletter ‘Monarch Butterfly Life’ for additional advice and guidance. Through these resources, I came to fully understand the plight of the monarch butterfly and the ways in which we are destroying them.
In 2018 and 2019, I went out and scoured all the roadside milkweed plants I could find for eggs and caterpillars. When I found eggs, I used a paper punch to remove the area of the leaf and then place it on a fresh piece of milkweed in a small container. Every day, I changed the milkweed leaf for a fresh one so that if and when the caterpillar hatched, it would have fresh food. After a few days of growth, I’d move them to the enclosure where they got fresh milkweed daily.
When the butterflies eclosed [emerged from the chrysalis], after their wings had dried, I’d release them. Occasionally, if a butterfly didn’t fly away, I’d keep it in a separate enclosure for an extra day, feed it a nectar of honey and water, and then release it.
In 2018, I released 23 butterflies. The following year, I released 39. I subscribe to the philosophy ‘go big or go home’ so in 2020, I added monarch eggs to my collection and, with my husband’s help, we converted an oak cabinet into an even larger outdoor habitat. I was able to release 154 butterflies.
Beyond their usefulness as pollinators, the monarch butterfly is one of the most beautiful winged creatures we have the good fortune to enjoy. It would be a shame for us to lose them completely.”
Follow Christina’s work visit her Instagram page: @notthelastmonarch
