Monarch Larval Monitoring Project

The Monarch Larval Monitoring Project (MLMP) is a citizen science project involving volunteers from across the United States and Canada in monarch research. It was developed by researchers at the University of Minnesota to collect long-term data on larval monarch populations and milkweed habitat.  The overarching goal of the project is to better understand how and why monarch populations vary in time and space, with a focus on monarch distribution and abundance during the breeding season in North America.  More specific questions we are addressing include:

1. How do larval monarch population densities fluctuate throughout the breeding season in different parts of North America?
2. At what larval stages does the highest mortality occur?
3. What is the net reproductive potential for summer breeding monarchs?
4. What plant qualities affect female monarch host plant choice and how does this vary between milkweed species?
5. What is the timing of movement of reproductive monarchs throughout their breeding range?
6. How does monarch recruitment vary with larval habitat size and degree of disturbance?

To answer these questions, we have recruited volunteers to conduct weekly monarch and milkweed surveys, measuring per plant densities of monarch eggs and larvae and milkweed quality. The results of these volunteers' efforts will aid us in conserving monarchs and their threatened migratory phenomenon, and advance our understanding of butterfly ecology in general.
The second, equally important focus of this project is to provide citizens with hands-on experience in scientific research.  It is our hope that, through this experience, volunteers will enhance their appreciation and understanding of monarchs, monarch habitat, and the scientific process in general.  The Monarch Larval Monitoring Project is a potential model for future citizen science endeavors.

To learn more, visit www.mlmp.org.