News & Updates

Native Plant & Pollinator Party Brings Plants, Experts to Tahlequah

Native Plant & Pollinator Party Brings Plants, Experts to Tahlequah

August 27, 2026 - An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to northeastern Oklahoma in September.
60+ Partners Launch a New Cross-Sector Plan for Monarch Conservation in Oklahoma

60+ Partners Launch a New Cross-Sector Plan for Monarch Conservation in Oklahoma

August 13, 2026 - To help recover monarch butterfly populations from historic declines, the Oklahoma Monarch Society today announced the release of version 2.0 of the Oklahoma Monarch Conservation Action Plan.
Applications Open for Wildlife Habitat Grants

Applications Open for Wildlife Habitat Grants

July 1, 2026 - The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma Conservation Commission and Oklahoma Monarch Society are partnering once again to offer the Wildlife Habitat Grant Program, providing funding opportunities for Oklahomans to create...
Oklahoma’s Roadside Wildflowers Power Conservation, Agriculture, and Tourism

Oklahoma’s Roadside Wildflowers Power Conservation, Agriculture, and Tourism

April 29, 2026 - A collaborative effort among state and nonprofit partners is growing pollinator habitats, supporting wildlife and enhancing scenic highways statewide
Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival Brings Plants, Experts to Elk City

Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival Brings Plants, Experts to Elk City

April 23, 2026 - On May 2, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to western Oklahoma, as the Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival brings vendors and experts to Elk City.
Monarch Migration from Mexico Arrives in Oklahoma

Monarch Migration from Mexico Arrives in Oklahoma

MARCH 23, 2026 - On March 8, Wynell Lloyd of Calera, Oklahoma, and her daughter, Raquel Collings, were astonished to spot a tattered monarch butterfly nectaring on clover.
Eastern Monarch Population Increases for the Second Consecutive Year

Eastern Monarch Population Increases for the Second Consecutive Year

MARCH 18, 2026 – Newly released data show the eastern monarch butterfly population has grown for a second consecutive year, offering a hopeful sign for a species that has declined by approximately 85–90% since the mid-1990s.
Oklahoma Residents Urged to Stop Using Mosquito Sprays  That Harm Bees and Butterflies

Oklahoma Residents Urged to Stop Using Mosquito Sprays That Harm Bees and Butterflies

MARCH 11, 2026 - WWarmer temperatures and recent rain may boost mosquitoes. The Mosquito-Be-Gone Bucket offers safe control without harming pollinators.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Edmond to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Edmond to Protect Pollinators

FEBRUARY 26, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, engage both the city and residents in monarch conservation, education and art.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Norman to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Norman to Protect Pollinators

FEBRUARY 11, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, engage both the city and residents in monarch conservation, education and art.
Surviving the Freeze: Eastern Monarchs in Their Fragile Mountain Sanctuary

Surviving the Freeze: Eastern Monarchs in Their Fragile Mountain Sanctuary

FEBRUARY 2, 2026 - Each year monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles to the Monarch Biosphere Reserve in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, seeking refuge from winter.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners with Oklahoma Department of Corrections to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners with Oklahoma Department of Corrections to Protect Pollinators

JANUARY 26, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, will engage incarcerated population in monarch conservation, education and art.
Kaleidoscopes of Monarchs Delight Oklahomans  During Fall Migration!

Kaleidoscopes of Monarchs Delight Oklahomans During Fall Migration!

NOVEMBER 11, 2025 - This fall, central Oklahoma residents were treated to stunning displays as thousands of migrating monarch butterflies paused to rest and feed, creating vibrant spectacles of orange across the skies and in trees.
Southeast OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

Southeast OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 - On October 11, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to Southeast Oklahoma, where experts will be sharing advice on backyard or out-on-the-ranch habitats and native plantings.
The Fall Monarch Migration has officially reached Oklahoma!

The Fall Monarch Migration has officially reached Oklahoma!

SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 - On September 24th the first fall roost of monarchs in 2025 was reported in Fargo, OK.
Bonus Monarch Generation

Bonus Monarch Generation

September 4, 2025 - Unraveling the Fifth Generation: Dr. Emily Geest Explores Late-Summer Monarch Movements in the Southern Plains
Growing Gardens and Connecting Communities

Growing Gardens and Connecting Communities

August 13, 2025 - The demand for native habitat projects was made clear this year: the Wildlife Habitat Grant program received 216 applications spanning residential, commercial, public, and farm sites.
OK Residents Urged to Stop Spraying Harmful Mosquito Sprays That Kill Pollinators

OK Residents Urged to Stop Spraying Harmful Mosquito Sprays That Kill Pollinators

June 3, 2025 - As warmer weather lures Oklahomans outdoors, the unwelcome buzz of mosquitoes can quickly turn backyard relaxation into an itchy ordeal.
Northwest OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

Northwest OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

MAY 5, 2025 - On May 31, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to Northwest Oklahoma, where experts will be sharing advice on backyard or out-on-the-ranch habitats and native plantings.
First Migrating Monarch Butterfly of 2025 Arrived to Oklahoma from Mexico

First Migrating Monarch Butterfly of 2025 Arrived to Oklahoma from Mexico

MARCH 20, 2025 - On March 18th, Donna Griffin Mays, a passionate butterfly enthusiast, was chasing two black swallowtail butterflies in southern Oklahoma, just outside of Marlow. During her pursuit, she spotted the first monarch butterfly in Oklahoma...
Eastern Monarch Population Doubles in 2024

Eastern Monarch Population Doubles in 2024

MARCH 7, 2025 - Just days from an Endangered Species Act public comment deadline, monarch butterfly conservation groups are celebrating a report that the population doubled last season.
Mariposa Monarca: An Unforgettable Encounter

Mariposa Monarca: An Unforgettable Encounter

FEBRUARY 19, 2025 - Earlier this month, a group of 18 Oklahomans — comprised of media, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts — gathered in Mexico City for a journey by the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden.
Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Threatened Status for Monarch Butterflies

Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Threatened Status for Monarch Butterflies

DECEMBER 1O, 2024 - Oklahoma conservationists are heralding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Tuesday proposal to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Wewoka Sorghum Festival Embraces Monarchs

Wewoka Sorghum Festival Embraces Monarchs

OCTOBER 23, 2024 - This week, one big event leads to another in Wewoka. The first involves tiny caterpillars, the next involves thousands of people, and the next is long-term prosperity.
Is 2024 a Down Year for Monarchs?

Is 2024 a Down Year for Monarchs?

OCTOBER 5, 2024 - Northern weather creates trickle as southwest drought worsens. Last week's expected push with northerly winds was a let-down. Few butterfly spotters reported roosts, matching a trend of fewer roosts reported in northern states as well....
Oklahoma Celebrates, Strategizes for Monarchs and Pollinators

Oklahoma Celebrates, Strategizes for Monarchs and Pollinators

SEPTEMBER 1O, 2024 - Every weekend through the first of October marks a community pollinator celebration, illustrating the growing interest, especially in monarch butterflies, as private, municipal, state, and tribal entities continue efforts to keep...
Summer Lovin' Monarchs

Summer Lovin' Monarchs

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 - For fans of monarch butterflies, Oklahoma is a fun place to be in September. But some of you may be surprised to read that there are actually overlapping populations with very different end-goals and needs this time of year.
Mid-Summer Brings "Bonus Monarchs"

Mid-Summer Brings "Bonus Monarchs"

JULY 23, 2024 - It’s almost “bonus monarch” time in Oklahoma. Scientists say it’s time for monarch taggers to order their sticky stocks and ready their catch nets and for avid observers to fire up their apps to burn up the internet.
URGENT UPDATE!

URGENT UPDATE!

FEBRUARY 2024 - The presence of the eastern monarch butterfly population in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests this past winter decreased by a staggering 59.3% compared to the previous year,
ODOT Monarch Program Wins Prestigious Statewide Award

ODOT Monarch Program Wins Prestigious Statewide Award

JANUARY 2024 - The Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Monarch Program received the 2023 State Government Program Environmental Excellence Award.
Monarch Butterfly Warranted but Precluded for Endangered Species Act Listing

Monarch Butterfly Warranted but Precluded for Endangered Species Act Listing

DECEMBER 16, 2020 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it finds Endangered Species Act listing for the monarch butterfly WARRANTED BUT PRECLUDED.
Native Plant & Pollinator Party Brings Plants, Experts to Tahlequah

Native Plant & Pollinator Party Brings Plants, Experts to Tahlequah

August 27, 2026 - An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to northeastern Oklahoma in September.
60+ Partners Launch a New Cross-Sector Plan for Monarch Conservation in Oklahoma

60+ Partners Launch a New Cross-Sector Plan for Monarch Conservation in Oklahoma

August 13, 2026 - To help recover monarch butterfly populations from historic declines, the Oklahoma Monarch Society today announced the release of version 2.0 of the Oklahoma Monarch Conservation Action Plan.
Applications Open for Wildlife Habitat Grants

Applications Open for Wildlife Habitat Grants

July 1, 2026 - The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, Oklahoma Conservation Commission and Oklahoma Monarch Society are partnering once again to offer the Wildlife Habitat Grant Program, providing funding opportunities for Oklahomans to create...
Oklahoma’s Roadside Wildflowers Power Conservation, Agriculture, and Tourism

Oklahoma’s Roadside Wildflowers Power Conservation, Agriculture, and Tourism

April 29, 2026 - A collaborative effort among state and nonprofit partners is growing pollinator habitats, supporting wildlife and enhancing scenic highways statewide
Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival Brings Plants, Experts to Elk City

Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival Brings Plants, Experts to Elk City

April 23, 2026 - On May 2, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to western Oklahoma, as the Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival brings vendors and experts to Elk City.
Monarch Migration from Mexico Arrives in Oklahoma

Monarch Migration from Mexico Arrives in Oklahoma

MARCH 23, 2026 - On March 8, Wynell Lloyd of Calera, Oklahoma, and her daughter, Raquel Collings, were astonished to spot a tattered monarch butterfly nectaring on clover.
Eastern Monarch Population Increases for the Second Consecutive Year

Eastern Monarch Population Increases for the Second Consecutive Year

MARCH 18, 2026 – Newly released data show the eastern monarch butterfly population has grown for a second consecutive year, offering a hopeful sign for a species that has declined by approximately 85–90% since the mid-1990s.
Oklahoma Residents Urged to Stop Using Mosquito Sprays  That Harm Bees and Butterflies

Oklahoma Residents Urged to Stop Using Mosquito Sprays That Harm Bees and Butterflies

MARCH 11, 2026 - WWarmer temperatures and recent rain may boost mosquitoes. The Mosquito-Be-Gone Bucket offers safe control without harming pollinators.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Edmond to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Edmond to Protect Pollinators

FEBRUARY 26, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, engage both the city and residents in monarch conservation, education and art.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Norman to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners With City of Norman to Protect Pollinators

FEBRUARY 11, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, engage both the city and residents in monarch conservation, education and art.
Surviving the Freeze: Eastern Monarchs in Their Fragile Mountain Sanctuary

Surviving the Freeze: Eastern Monarchs in Their Fragile Mountain Sanctuary

FEBRUARY 2, 2026 - Each year monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles to the Monarch Biosphere Reserve in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, seeking refuge from winter.
Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners with Oklahoma Department of Corrections to Protect Pollinators

Oklahoma Monarch Society Partners with Oklahoma Department of Corrections to Protect Pollinators

JANUARY 26, 2026 - This initiative, Pathways for Pollinators and People, will engage incarcerated population in monarch conservation, education and art.
Kaleidoscopes of Monarchs Delight Oklahomans  During Fall Migration!

Kaleidoscopes of Monarchs Delight Oklahomans During Fall Migration!

NOVEMBER 11, 2025 - This fall, central Oklahoma residents were treated to stunning displays as thousands of migrating monarch butterflies paused to rest and feed, creating vibrant spectacles of orange across the skies and in trees.
Southeast OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

Southeast OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

SEPTEMBER 29, 2025 - On October 11, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to Southeast Oklahoma, where experts will be sharing advice on backyard or out-on-the-ranch habitats and native plantings.
The Fall Monarch Migration has officially reached Oklahoma!

The Fall Monarch Migration has officially reached Oklahoma!

SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 - On September 24th the first fall roost of monarchs in 2025 was reported in Fargo, OK.
Bonus Monarch Generation

Bonus Monarch Generation

September 4, 2025 - Unraveling the Fifth Generation: Dr. Emily Geest Explores Late-Summer Monarch Movements in the Southern Plains
Growing Gardens and Connecting Communities

Growing Gardens and Connecting Communities

August 13, 2025 - The demand for native habitat projects was made clear this year: the Wildlife Habitat Grant program received 216 applications spanning residential, commercial, public, and farm sites.
OK Residents Urged to Stop Spraying Harmful Mosquito Sprays That Kill Pollinators

OK Residents Urged to Stop Spraying Harmful Mosquito Sprays That Kill Pollinators

June 3, 2025 - As warmer weather lures Oklahomans outdoors, the unwelcome buzz of mosquitoes can quickly turn backyard relaxation into an itchy ordeal.
Northwest OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

Northwest OK event promises monarch, milkweed infusion

MAY 5, 2025 - On May 31, An infusion of native wildflower and milkweed know-how is headed to Northwest Oklahoma, where experts will be sharing advice on backyard or out-on-the-ranch habitats and native plantings.
First Migrating Monarch Butterfly of 2025 Arrived to Oklahoma from Mexico

First Migrating Monarch Butterfly of 2025 Arrived to Oklahoma from Mexico

MARCH 20, 2025 - On March 18th, Donna Griffin Mays, a passionate butterfly enthusiast, was chasing two black swallowtail butterflies in southern Oklahoma, just outside of Marlow. During her pursuit, she spotted the first monarch butterfly in Oklahoma...
Eastern Monarch Population Doubles in 2024

Eastern Monarch Population Doubles in 2024

MARCH 7, 2025 - Just days from an Endangered Species Act public comment deadline, monarch butterfly conservation groups are celebrating a report that the population doubled last season.
Mariposa Monarca: An Unforgettable Encounter

Mariposa Monarca: An Unforgettable Encounter

FEBRUARY 19, 2025 - Earlier this month, a group of 18 Oklahomans — comprised of media, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts — gathered in Mexico City for a journey by the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden.
Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Threatened Status for Monarch Butterflies

Fish and Wildlife Service Proposes Threatened Status for Monarch Butterflies

DECEMBER 1O, 2024 - Oklahoma conservationists are heralding the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Tuesday proposal to list the monarch butterfly as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Wewoka Sorghum Festival Embraces Monarchs

Wewoka Sorghum Festival Embraces Monarchs

OCTOBER 23, 2024 - This week, one big event leads to another in Wewoka. The first involves tiny caterpillars, the next involves thousands of people, and the next is long-term prosperity.
Is 2024 a Down Year for Monarchs?

Is 2024 a Down Year for Monarchs?

OCTOBER 5, 2024 - Northern weather creates trickle as southwest drought worsens. Last week's expected push with northerly winds was a let-down. Few butterfly spotters reported roosts, matching a trend of fewer roosts reported in northern states as well....
Oklahoma Celebrates, Strategizes for Monarchs and Pollinators

Oklahoma Celebrates, Strategizes for Monarchs and Pollinators

SEPTEMBER 1O, 2024 - Every weekend through the first of October marks a community pollinator celebration, illustrating the growing interest, especially in monarch butterflies, as private, municipal, state, and tribal entities continue efforts to keep...
Summer Lovin' Monarchs

Summer Lovin' Monarchs

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 - For fans of monarch butterflies, Oklahoma is a fun place to be in September. But some of you may be surprised to read that there are actually overlapping populations with very different end-goals and needs this time of year.
Mid-Summer Brings "Bonus Monarchs"

Mid-Summer Brings "Bonus Monarchs"

JULY 23, 2024 - It’s almost “bonus monarch” time in Oklahoma. Scientists say it’s time for monarch taggers to order their sticky stocks and ready their catch nets and for avid observers to fire up their apps to burn up the internet.
URGENT UPDATE!

URGENT UPDATE!

FEBRUARY 2024 - The presence of the eastern monarch butterfly population in Mexico’s oyamel fir forests this past winter decreased by a staggering 59.3% compared to the previous year,
ODOT Monarch Program Wins Prestigious Statewide Award

ODOT Monarch Program Wins Prestigious Statewide Award

JANUARY 2024 - The Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Monarch Program received the 2023 State Government Program Environmental Excellence Award.
Monarch Butterfly Warranted but Precluded for Endangered Species Act Listing

Monarch Butterfly Warranted but Precluded for Endangered Species Act Listing

DECEMBER 16, 2020 - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it finds Endangered Species Act listing for the monarch butterfly WARRANTED BUT PRECLUDED.