What is Mission Monarch ?
Mission Monarch is a community science program created in 2016 by the Insectarium de Montréal | Espace pour la vie and the Institut de recherche en biologie végétale. This program aims to map milkweed (Asclepias spp.), a plant essential to the monarch butterfly, and identify hotspots where the monarchs (Danaus plexippus) can be found.
Who can participate ?
Anyone, with a scientific background or not, can share their observations and thus contribute to data collection.
How to participate ?
You can participate through two simple protocols: Mission surveys and flash observations.
Mission allows participants to gather data on monarchs and milkweeds. Participants find milkweed, look for monarchs and share their observations with scientists on the Mission Monarch website.
Flash observations, participants only document the presence and abundance of the monarchs (eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises, adults). Observations can then be shared on the Mission Monarch website.
Why should I participate ?
Given the disturbing decline in North American monarch populations, Canada has committed to protecting these butterflies’ summer breeding grounds, as a way of maximizing their reproductive success. However, there is not enough scientific knowledge available to come up with an effective conservation plan. In order to protect monarch habitats, we have to know where to find them. In other words, we need monarch-breeding data across the butterfly’s range. That’s where Mission Monarch fits in!