Why you’re seeing more monarchs in Abilene this year

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – If you have been outside, you may have noticed some fluttering friends that made their way to Abilene, as they do every year. The monarch butterflies are on their migration pattern heading towards Mexico, and the Key City falls right onto their path.

Dr. Joshua Brokaw, a Biology Professor at Abilene Christian University, said that over the years, the population has dwindled.

“We convert grasslands into either agriculture for growing grains or for grazing purposes. That means there are a lot fewer monarchs than there used to be. On the other hand, it is an indicator to us of what’s going on out there. So, a big year like this year tells us that the grasslands have benefited from the rainfall that was bigger this year in this part of Texas,” Brokaw explained.

To attract the butterflies in your yard, Brokaw said you can plant colorful nectar flowers and a certain type of grass that caterpillars eat.

“I would probably plant the nectar flowers that these monarchs like, just be around and more often. So Gregg’s mistflower is a species that they are particularly attracted to,” Brokaw said. “If you wanted to benefit monarchs, you would plant the plant that their offspring eat, which is the milkweed. There’s several different species of milkweeds that are just native species for grassland, vegetation that you’re not going to find in a planted agricultural field.”

There is no set time limit for how long the butterflies will stay around, but when the wind patterns shift north and temperatures drop, that is when we can expect to say goodbye.

When admiring their beauty up close, it’s important to take a slow, non-threatening approach, as sudden movements startle them. Brokaw added that it is better to attract the butterflies than to approach them.