Every year, Monarch butterflies embark on a magnificent migration journey, showcasing the wonders of nature. Their quest for survival and warmth leads them across various states, including Kentucky, and even takes them from one country to another.
Caldwell County Extension Ag Agent Shane Bogle says sightings of Monarch butterflies have been observed across the Commonwealth as they migrate.
click to download audioHe adds that Monarch butterflies migrate north across the state in the summer and then head south to Mexico in the fall to survive.
click to download audioIn recent years, according to Bogle, the Monarch butterfly populations have suffered from multiple stressors and the migration seems in peril. In fact, he adds the migratory population was listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2022.
Bogle suggests that if you are interested in aiding Monarchs, there are several small-scale actions you can take to contribute to their conservation efforts by transforming portions of the landscape at both residential and commercial properties into Monarch conservation habitats. He says this can significantly support the increase in Monarch butterfly populations.
According to officials with Kentucky State Parks, they partnered with The Garden Club of Kentucky and other groups to design and install Monarch waystations at several state parks across the Commonwealth. Each station reportedly serves millions of migrating butterflies, providing them with their own version of a butterfly bed and breakfast. Locally, there are waystations provided at Lake Barkley State Resort Park and near the pool at the Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park Lodge.
For more information on the Monarch butterfly and its migration, call the Caldwell County Extension Office at (270) 365-2787.
