Butterfly House hosts Monarch butterflies in-house, as government considers listing them endangered

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - The monarch butterfly could be in danger of extinction, but the federal government is proposing new protections to help the species continue to survive.

And here in St. Louis, the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House is doing its part to keep this iconic insect flying in nature.

First Alert 4 first told you about the challenges of the monarchs in this report last year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a species status assessment last year, noting that the habitats of Monarchs common in the Midwest are disappearing. While habitat loss is a huge factor, the number of butterflies could drop in the future because of disease, warmer temperatures, weed killer and drought.

The FWS is now proposing to add the monarch on to the Endangered Species list, under the ESA. The FWS wants public comment on this proposed addition to the list, and you can send in your comments at this link. “Public comments will be accepted on the proposal until March 12, 2025,” the FWS says. “The Service will then evaluate the comments and any additional information on the species and determine whether to list the monarch butterfly.”

“The numbers have been fluctuating so much over the last couple of decades that, although I was not expecting this news, I am also not incredibly surprised to hear it either,” said senior entomologist of the Sachs Butterfly House, Tad Yankoski. “This reinforces how important it is to act swiftly to protect migrating Monarchs while we still can. ”

Famous for their orange coloring, and thousands of miles long migration from Canada to Mexico — experts have described Monarchs as a boom-bust insect. When conditions are good, they’re fine, but if the environment changes, they’re heavily impacted, according to Fish and Wildlife information.

A 90-day comment period is underway and will close on March 12, 2025. Information about how to submit comments can be found on regulations.gov by searching for docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137.

The Endangered Species Act has provided some protection to vulnerable animals and insects for half a century. FWS says they hope the monarch’s conservation under the Act would improve the survival rate while not impacting other aspects of life.

“The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle. Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance,” said U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams.

Federal estimates show the eastern migratory monarch population is estimated to have declined by approximately 80%. The western migratory population has declined by more than 95% since the 1980s, putting the western populations at greater than 99% chance of extinction by 2080.

Researchers believe threats include loss of habitat, exposure to insecticides and general changes to the environmental heat.

The Butterfly House has been working on Project Pollinator, a way of increasing the number of pollinator plant locations in the St. Louis area, for some time. Their experts are also worried about falling Monarch population numbers because these insects share habitats with other important insects.

Bees, flies and major pollinators share habitats with Monarchs. Their pollination of the flowers also means pollination of fruits, vegetables, ingredients for chocolate and other foods. Experts say that without sustainable entomological areas — we could face serious impacts.

Experts say ing the Monarchs and other pollinators is easy. Avoid weed killers, plant native flora and let some tasty weed plants stick around as natural hangouts for Monarchs.

Avery Martinez covers water, ag & the environment for First Alert 4. He is also a Report for America corps member, as well as a member of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk. His coverage goes from corn farms to hunting concerns, and local water rates to rancher mental health.

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