Monarch butterflies putting on a spectacular show in Tucson this fall | Subscriber

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In this photo from December 9, 2011, a monarch butterfly sits on a log in the Sierra Chincua Sanctuary in the mountains of the Mexican state of Michoacan.

Marco Ugarte, Associated Press

By Emma Brocato Special for the Arizona Daily Star

First came the exceptionally wet monsoons. Then the extraordinary plant growth. Next the caterpillars. And now the butterflies.

“I haven’t seen that much insect activity lately,” said Mike Madsen, curator of the Tucson Botanical Gardens of Tropical Conservatory and manages the Butterfly Magic exhibit. “The high rainfall resulted in much more plant growth.”

More plants, Masden said, means more moths and butterflies – including the iconic orange and black monarch.

“I would confidently say that monarchs wandering southern Arizona this year are likely to benefit from the increase in available water and flowering nectar plants,” Masden said.

Ninety-nine percent of monarch butterflies migrate, most of them from the Midwest and Canada. But there are also non-migratory monarch populations living in Arizona year-round.

Monarchs have declined sharply since the 1980s, largely due to climate change, which can create harsh conditions for monarchs to migrate and make the habitats of non-migratory monarchs less hospitable.

Although this year’s monsoon has laid out a huge welcome mat for monarchs and other butterflies – the Rincon Mountains are home to 170 species – similar heavy rains would have to last several years here to have a long-term impact on monarch populations, Masden said.

Without summer rains, habitats normally suitable for monarchs cannot develop the plants and other resources they need to feed them. As a result, the local monarch population suffers.

“If our drought conditions continue to worsen, we could reach a tipping point,” said Joe Billings, who works independently for the protection of monarchs under the name Monarch Quest AZ.

Queen butterfly in the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Queen butterflies are similar to the fabled monarch.

Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily Star

Counting butterflies

Billings, a self-described “born naturalist” who enjoys working alone, has extensive experience tagging monarch butterflies in the field.

“I know how to develop a strategy to go beyond a certain period of time and achieve a goal,” he said.

Billings likened capturing monarchs to hunting, as both require a close examination of the creature being pursued. When trapping monarchs, however, it is crucial not to harm the butterfly so that it can fly away unscathed after the work is done.

Billings said he could count on one hand the number of times he had injured a monarch. One of his goals is to write a report on his tagging work.

After Billings built his work independently, he developed a dual tagging system instead of using a single tag on one side of the butterfly. He also chose a fluorescent color for the tags to optimize visibility. When he traveled to the California coast to track down monarchs, he found 11 of his own tags. Marking the butterflies establishes their migration routes for those who study them.

“Tagging is the only way you can really understand the movements of monarchs in the landscape,” said Billings.

The threats monarchs face

In addition to climate change, the decline in monarchs is also attributed to habitat loss and pesticide use that go hand in hand. Housing estates and agriculture take away space, host plants and food from the monarchs.

“The monarchs don’t have as much food as they used to,” says Tony Palmer, animal keeper for invertebrates at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.

The monarch is culturally and ecologically significant. It fills a unique niche in its ecosystem by eating milkweed, a highly toxic plant that often grows near corn fields and that uses toxins as a defense against predators. To eliminate pests from their crops, many farmers spray their fields with pesticides such as glyphosate and BT. When monarch caterpillars consume BT-contaminated milkweed, they essentially “go to a pulp and die,” Palmer said.

Queen Butterflies at The Barnyard Crafthouse & Eatery, 11011 E Tanque Verde Rd.

Rebecca Sasnett, Arizona Daily Star

Experts doubt that the monarch will not go away entirely. But its sharp decline in stocks serves as a strong warning as it is widely considered a type of indicator.

“This really dramatic decline in monarch migration is kind of a potential indicator of our larger ecosystem,” said Madsen of Tucson Botanical Gardens. “And if this migration doesn’t go well, there is a very good chance that other insects and organisms with similar life strategies are likely to suffer as well.”

The threats to monarchs are also relevant to other butterfly species – and there are many, with 170 butterfly species in the Rincon Mountains alone. The blue Xerces butterfly disappeared from the Bay Area of ​​California after houses were built on the rest of its habitat.

“It all comes back to the breeding habitats,” said Billings. “And this is where you have to start researching, measuring and quantifying.”

Although they have suffered a massive decline, public worship of monarch butterflies could potentially lead to greater protective measures.

“People really enjoy monarchs,” said Billings, “and that is their salvation.”

Tucson looks pretty green! Check out the view from Sabino Canyon after the above average rainfall this summer.

Make sure to check the weather before heading to Sabino Canyon as some trails and areas may be closed due to flooding.

Jesse Tellez

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