WASHINGTON POST WEATHER WALL PATCH
WASHINGTON POST WEATHER WALL FULL

The cause is habitat loss and climate change. They went from a population of about 10 million in the 1980s to 1,914 butterflies in 2021. It’s estimated western migratory monarch populations have declined 99.9%. The western population, around Utah, has the greatest risk of extinction. The IUCN found monarch populations have shrunk between 22% and 72% over the past decade. The International Union for Conservation of Nature, the global authority on the status of the natural world, has put the migratory monarch butterfly on its Red List as endangered. But ultimately, even if you are able to submit a picture and just answer a couple of questions, that’s still really, really helpful,” Howard said. “You can kind of pick how involved you want to get. Isis Howard, an endangered species conservation biologist who manages the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, said the blitz is invaluable for monarch researchers working with larger trends. “Monarchs cross three different countries in North America, and so it’s impacted by efforts in each of those different countries.” “The monarch migration knows no borders,” Lukens said. Sighting data is collected all year, but the blitz is important, Lukens said it provides a snapshot of monarch activity during their peak breeding period, an important insight into the butterfly’s breeding productivity and range.

WASHINGTON POST WEATHER WALL PATCH

It involves finding a milkweed patch and recording the number of monarch eggs once weekly. The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project is a little more in-depth. It only takes about five minutes to record an observation. Laura Lukens, the program coordinator for the Monarch Joint Venture, said Journey North and the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper are good for submitting incidental observations and one-time sightings. For Utahns hoping to catch sight of the only known two-way migrating butterfly, there are several resources: Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper, Journey North and the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project.Įveryone is invited to share their sightings during the 10-day blitz through Aug. and southern Canada breeding grounds, down to central Mexico for hibernation. And of course, when you’re done exploring, DC has an epic assortment of amazing restaurants and top notch bars to refuel and unwind.Now is the time of the annual International Monarch Monitoring Blitz, fellow lepidopterists!Įvery year, the monarch butterfly flies up to 2,500 miles from its U.S. DC even has plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities like hiking and biking. In addition to renowned art museums and galleries, you can enjoy a range of theater and musical performances. The National Zoo is one of the top zoos to visit (and it’s free!).

WASHINGTON POST WEATHER WALL FULL

The National Mall is walkable and chock full of museums. Throngs of tour groups from all over the world flock to DC to visit the renowned museums and other iconic landmarks, but beyond that there are dozens of exciting attractions and other destinations to check out.ĭC is a manageable size, with easy access to other top destinations in the region. There are plenty of things to do in Washington DC that don’t involve the government - though visiting the White House and learning more about how it all works is something you have to do once. While you certainly can’t avoid it, our nation’s capital is about more than just politics.

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