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IMG_5037.MP4Rachel's monarch waystation in Salt Lake City on June 28, 2026
This was dead space before taking out 50% of the grass and planting mostly native pollinator plants. The butterfly bush is my last non-native holdout!
Three monarchs have visited this space during the last week of June, two of which were confirmed males.
August 1, 2026 Update
August 1, 2026 Update
Where are all the monarchs?
After a great, early start, June and July have been very quiet for monarch sightings. Experts aren't quite sure if it's the excessive heat, or the lack of snow/water this past winter that messed up our plants and froze the blossoms on the fruit trees. We hope we get some answers.
As of August 11, 22 counties in Utah have claimed the first monarch photo of the year for the annual contest, with seven counties remaining. They are here - just not as many as we've grown accustomed to in recent years.
The Western Monarch Count was announced on January 29, 2026
The count of just over 12,200 monarchs at the hundreds of sites counted along the California coast is the third lowest number recorded historically. Our efforts matter.
Here is our TO-DO list below:
Item #1 Above on our TO-DO list
Restore Monarch Breeding and Migratory Habitat
We have some incredible and FREE resources to help you plant native pollinator plants and milkweed in your spaces. Explore the Utah Pollinator Habitat Program, which opens for applications on March 1, 2026. Their recommended list of pollinator plants is exceptional and shows bloom time for each species. This is helpful for providing pollinators nectar from spring through fall.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Our online seed order closed February 1, 2026 and will reopen in October 2026.
EXCELLENT RESOURCES
EXCELLENT RESOURCES
Monarch Watch
Home of the national "Monarch Waystation" Program
Monarch Joint Venture
Excellent resources and webinars
Southwest Monarch Study
Our Tagging Source!
Utah Pollinator Habitat Program
Utah Pollinator Habitat Program
Xerces Society
Our Mission
To engage and educate Utahns in conservation of the monarch butterfly. We do this by providing expertise and training, native milkweed seeds and/or seedlings, and leveraging partnerships with other organizations (public and private) to advance the cause of the monarch butterfly and the other pollinators who will benefit from this work.
Utah FOM Official 501c3 status August 31, 2021
Federal ID 87-2412373
Rachel Taylor, Utah Friends of Monarchs, Founder
Monarch Conservation Specialist, Monarch Watch
Page updated
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