Indiana Dunes and Monarchs
Indiana Dunes Blog
Indiana Dunes National Park is 5th in the nation for biodiversity. That’s more than Yellowstone, Grand Teton, and the Everglades. Read more about monarchs and other diverse flora and fauna.
“We can each protect monarchs by helping to restore their habitat! Even a pot of native milkweed on your patio can make a difference.”
Individual Monarch Life Cycle
To understand how important such a small step can be, we must begin where the monarch begins: with a tiny egg, no bigger than the head of a pin.
The female monarch can carry up to 400 of these precious eggs. She will lay only one or two on a single milkweed leaf, repeating the process over and over again on different leaves.
Dangers
Monarchs face many dangers on their trip south. And they still face obstacles even after reaching their destination. Overnight temperatures can drop below freezing and snow may even fall during their stay in Mexico. Fortunately, since monarchs are a cold-blooded insect, they don’t require much energy in cold temperatures, and they will eat very little in order to save their food reserves.
Make a Butterfly Garden
Create a monarch habitat in your yard. Plant milkweed and native flowers for monarchs and other pollinators. Check out the sponsors on this page for local resources to get you started.
Protect the Forest in Mexico
Effective forest protection on the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve is more crucial than ever. Your donation to Butterflies and Their People can aid in this important work.
Register a Waystation
Get your own monarch waystation listed on a national directory with MonarchWatch.org. Your application fee helps support conservation efforts.
Adopt a Colony
Your donation supports a butterfly sanctuary and helps nearby communities. With your donation, once a month, JM’s Butterfly B&B in Mexico provides a condensed virtual butterfly tour to give you a sense of what it’s like to visit Cerro Pelón at different times of the season.
Become a Citizen Scientist
In order to conserve the monarch migration, scientists need a thorough understanding of all aspects of this phenomenal journey. You are invited to help us learn more about monarchs through participating in citizen science programs.
Forests for Monarchs
Forests for Monarchs has planted over 9 million trees through supporters like you. They plant two trees for every dollar donated. Please consider donating to help produce, distribute and plant native trees within the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico.
Don't Use Harmful Chemicals
Don’t use toxic chemicals: Limit your use of pesticides and herbicides in your garden. This site provides tips for using pesticides safely.
Fundraise
Walk for monarchs to raise money through Miles for Monarchs. We will attempt, as a community throughout the United States and Canada, to walk, run, hike, bike, and move at least 3,000 miles – the length of a single migration
Be an loso-tourist
Support Ecotourism by visiting butterfly sanctuaries that support the local economies in Mexico and provide jobs and an incentive to protect vulnerable monarch habitat.
Learn More
Different people help in different ways. Find out how you can get involved in monarch conservation, no matter who or where you are!
Monarch Tracking
Scientists have been busy with this effort to learn more, and researchers are currently tracking monarchs to analyze their behavior. They do this by attaching small tags on their wings with a tag number that can be entered into a website. You, too can participate in a number of citizen scientist opportunities.
Watch the Full Monarch Video
(13 minutes)
The story of the monarch butterfly is one of incredible transformation and epic travel. The monarch’s tale is complex and filled with trials and triumphs.
This video shows how each of us can play a key role in the survival of the incredible monarch. It can be as simple as planting a milkweed seed.
Indiana Dunes Flower Quest
The Indiana Dunes National Park is the fourth most biodiverse national park in the entire country, with over 1,100 flowering plant species across 15,000 acres. Throughout the spring and summer, spectacular wildflowers burst into view across the Dunes region.
