Monarchs and Crop Production: Can They Coexist?

The size of the overwintering monarch population has decreased by more than 50% since the introduction of herbicide resistant crops in the late 1990’s.  While many factors have contributed to the decline in the iconic butterfly, the loss of common milkweed from crop fields is frequently cited as a primary cause.  In 2014, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service was petitioned to protect the monarch under the Endangered Species Act.  Listing the monarch as an endangered species would have significant implications to agriculture in the summer breeding region, including Indiana.  Iowa State University formed the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium in 2015 with a goal of developing a scientific foundation for conserving the monarch butterfly without impacting agricultural productivity.  This presentation will review the monarch life cycle, factors impacting its population, and potential impacts of crop production on the butterfly’s success in the Cornbelt.  In addition, research investigating the most effective methods of restoring habitat in agricultural areas will be discussed.