Editor’s Note: The following is a monthly guest column by a member of the City of DeKalb’s Citizens’ Environmental Commission, part of a regular write to inform the community on matters involving the climate crisis, how to be a better local steward of the environment and other topical issues of the day.
When was the last time you observed a monarch butterfly in the city of DeKalb? Where were you at the time? A local park planted with prairie plants? Or perhaps your own yard where you have provided native habitat? When I was a child growing up in northern Wisconsin, the sight of dozens of monarch butterflies every day during the summer was common. Caterpillars could be found on most of the milkweed plants in our yard, and we took for granted the return of these beautiful butterflies every summer. Many years later, upon moving to DeKalb, I learned that monarchs made their annual migration directly through our city.
The monarch butterfly is a migratory species with habitat spanning three countries. During the winter months adult butterflies depend on forested habitat in Mexico. In the summer they migrate thousands of miles to reproduce in many regions of the United States and Canada. DeKalb, Illinois is one of these habitats on which they rely for food and shelter.
Unfortunately, populations of monarch butterflies have plummeted over recent decades, with less than 10 percent of former numbers remaining. West of the Rocky Mountains, that percentage falls to less than one percent. Climate change, habitat loss across the species’ range, and pesticide usage has contributed to this dramatic decline.
The good news is that increasing awareness of this crisis has prompted individuals and organizations to take steps to assist in monarch butterfly recovery. One of the most effective, and easy, steps is to plant milkweed, the only food source of monarch caterpillars. Female monarchs will lay more eggs when more than one variety of milkweed is present, and preferred varieties include swamp milkweed, common milkweed, butterfly weed, and whorled milkweed, all native to northern Illinois. All of these species call easily be ordered online. Creating natural habitat with plenty of flowering native plants is also of great benefit to the adult butterflies to sustain them with nectar on their journey south. In order to successfully assist in monarch recovery, however, it is imperative to avoid using pesticides.
Cities and municipalities across the country are joining this recovery effort. DeKalb recently became a certified member of Monarch City USA. This organization has members nationwide and advocates for the creation of monarch butterfly habitat, particularly focusing on encouraging the planting of milkweed. Watch for a sign in the downtown area acknowledging our new membership.
Many DeKalb residents have already planted milkweed and other native plants in their yards. Businesses are also encouraged to join in the effort and can take the fine example that the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District and the DeKalb Park District have provided with pollinator gardens planted last fall.
Monarch City USA members are invited to host an annual Monarch Butterfly Festival and plans are underway to organize a festival in DeKalb. The event will be a fun way to bring awareness of the monarch crisis to the community and to prompt positive action. For additional information regarding Monarch City USA, please see monarchcityusa.com.
By Rachel Farrell, CEC Commissioner