The U.S. Fish and Wildlife has reopened the public comment period on its proposal to list monarch butterflies as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
The monarchs have seen dwindling populations in the last several years. Fish and Wildlife predicts there is a 56-74 percent chance the monarchs will be considered extinct in the eastern United States in 60 years, and a 99 percent chance in the west.
As a migrating butterfly, it is particularly vulnerable to climate change, insecticides and damage to its breeding, migratory and overwintering habitats, the department said. There have been increased efforts in Maine and across the country to keep the butterfly from becoming extinct.
Monarchs arrive in Maine from Mexico in late June and their population peaks in August, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. They leave again in October.
The best way Mainers can help monarchs is to mow fields and lawns less often where milkweed, violets and dandelions grow.
The butterflies need the nectar from the flowers for food, especially when they first arrive, but they also rely on milkweed as a host plant to feed their caterpillars, according to Maine Audubon. The caterpillars eat the leaves.
Milkweed is native to the state and a study in 2018 found that female monarchs prefer swamp milkweed, although they will use all species for laying their eggs. Milkweed needs full sun and its habitat depends on the species, the Maine Audubon said.
If you would like to know more about the monarch butterfly, the proposal to list it as threatened and conservation, visit fws.gov/monarch. If you want to know more about what research and conservation efforts are happening in Maine, this report will help.
If you would like to comment on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife proposal, go to regulations.gov and search for docket number FWS-R3-ES-2024-0137. The new deadline for comments is May 19, 2025.
