This week on the Good Growing podcast we chat with Brodie Dunn about the recent listing of the monarch butterfly as an endangered species by the IUCN. What does that mean for us in Illinois where monarchs spend their summers? We dive into the most recent scientific publications to determine how the monarch population is doing according to Community Science data. Plus, practices to help monarch butterflies. Is it all helpful? Or could some of it be detrimental? All this, plus information on a group of community science initiatives coordinated by Brodie called I-Pollinate. Learn how you can get involved in saving our pollinators.

Brodie Dunn is a visiting outreach associate specializing in pollinators and beneficial insects.

Watch us on YouTube https://youtu.be/dmqQlyPY1TA

Skip to what you want to know:

0:16 Hi Ken!

1:40 Welcome Brodie!

3:30 Why do monarchs captivate us? What is unique about their lifecycle?

5:50 What are the specific needs of monarch butterflies? What is missing to cause such alarm?

7:26 What are some of the driving factors of habitat loss causing the decline of monarch butterflies?

8:38 What about factors like disease and car strikes? are they causing widespread population decline?

11:29 The IUCN has declared the monarch butterfly an endangered species. What does this mean?

14:23 What would happen if the monarch butterfly was listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act?

16:55 Just a few before the IUCN announcement another paper made headlines that the monarch butterfly was thriving. Why such conflicting information? Let's set the record straight!

21:00 Are monarch butterflies okay?

24:28 Scientists are discouraging indoor rearing of monarchs. Why?

31:54 What are some things we can do to help monarchs if rearing them indoors is not recommended?

33:43 Does helping monarchs help other pollinators? What is the best first step for helping all pollinators?

36:39 Community Science helps to inform scientists studying pollinators. How you can help using the I-Pollinate program.

42:20 Thank you, farewells, and coming up next week

I-Pollinate Program https://ipollinate.illinois.edu/

"Monarch butterflies are thriving study" - actually named "Opposing global change drivers counterbalance trends in breeding North American monarch butterflies" https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/gcb.16282

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