Milkweed monitoring to support Monarchs
The Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, managed by Monarch Joint Venture, seeks to help community scientists and land managers focus on the contribution of milkweed to the success of the breeding population of monarchs. Observers visit the milkweed weekly to note time of emergence, characteristics, and density, as well as monarch survival. This helps understand breeding trends, identify hot spots that regularly attract monarchs, and pinpoint success factors and potential threats to monarch breeding.
Observers can also learn how to use the MLMP program with an online training video series and activity datasheets instructions. Interested individuals can also play a supportive role such as accompanying an observer, checking a milkweed patch to learn the necessary techniques, or setting up a system for monitoring monarch activity at a school or library waystation.