Why Monarch Butterflies are Disappearing in Texas

How many monarch butterflies have you seen in Texas in recent years? When I was a bit younger, I remember watching in wonder as these orange and black creatures floated by, stopping on the occasional flower. Nowadays, I can probably count on one hand how many monarchs I see each year.

It wasn't until I was older -- college age probably -- that I realized I wasn't seeing the creatures as much. Granted, not as many will fly through East Texas as other parts of the states, but it was still a decline. And then I realized that this was an actual issue.

You'll see a lot of monarch butterflies during their migration

Monarchs typically migrate starting at the end of September through about mid-October, according to the Austin American-Statesman. They travel more than 2,000 miles between Canada and Mexico to escape the cold winters.

As the state insect of Texas, I remember hearing a lot about these lovely creatures and their yearly trip to Mexico. Usually, they will fly through central and southern Texas and are most likely to be sighted on warm, sunny days.

If you do spot monarch butterflies going past, be sure to stop and observe. With their decline, you never know how many more times you'll get to enjoy the creatures. Although, I hope it doesn't come to that.

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What is happening to monarchs?

According to the Austin American-Statesman, people along the monarch's migratory path in Texas could see anywhere from dozens to hundreds of the butterflies floating past. That is until their rapid decline beginning in the 1990s.

Today, it is rare to see 100 or more in a single location. You'll have the most luck spotting monarchs in places specifically designed to attract them, but even there is not a given. Numerous things could be leading to the decline of monarchs, including habitat loss and climate change.

I for one hope that we can find a way to bring the numbers back up, but it would take a lot of people caring about the creatures. It would be tragic to see them go extinct -- as with any animal.

Ways we can help the monarch butterflies

There are several ways we can try and help these lovely butterflies. If you want to be a part of helping them, hopefully, thrive again, read this list:

How to Attract Monarchs to Your Texas Garden

Monarc butterflies are sadly on the decline, but according to the Austin American-Statesman, having these 6 items in your garden can help attract the creatures and hopefully play at least a small part in their population growth.