Mission Monarch coordinator
Let’s start the mission!
So here you are, ready to help saving monarch butterflies. You might be feeling a little confused with all these instructions, though. No problem! This blog tells you all you need to know to complete your mission!
Click on the links to get to the sections mentioned in the article
1-Find milkweed
Learn how to find and recognize milkweed, the monarch’s host plant. You can download identification sheets of the most common milkweed species in Canada.
Once you know all you need about milkweed, find some in your area to carry out your mission.
2-Look for monarchs
Look carefully at as many plants as you want, and make sure to take note of the location where you do it. Use the Field observation form to write down all the important information.
Look for caterpillars especially, but take note is you see any egg, chrysalis or adult along the way. You can use the Monarch identification sheets to recognize the different life stages of the monarch.
3-Report your observations
After you mission, submit your sightings online, on the Mission Monarch website. Create an account, if you haven’t yet. Then, report your field observations by filling all the fields on the Submit you mission page. Do it event if you haven’t found any monarchs: in science, zeros are very important!
What else?
Other tools are available. Use the the « Commonly confused » identification sheet to identify insects that might look like monarchs, but are not. You can also identify the others insects you are likely to see on milkweed with the “Milkweed community” sheet.
For questions about the protocol, contact us! Note that observations submitted by email cannot be added to the data base. Submit then directly vias the website.
Thank you for you participation in Monarch Mission and, enjoy the mission!