Monarch Butterflies in Houston

1. Stay informed!

This may seem like a simple answer, but there is a lot of misinformation floating around, especially on social media. Make sure you are getting your information from reputable sources, including the ones we have linked on this page!

2. Share the science, with kindness.

Please share what you have learned with your friends and family. If someone is doing something that may be doing more harm than good, please remember compassion when sharing what you know. Everyone is doing the best they can with the information they have been given!.

3. If you’re going to plant milkweed, plant native!

Studies are showing there is no shortage of wild milkweed, especially in Texas. However, if you would still like to plant some there are resources at the bottom of the page for how to find which milkweeds you should purchase and plant.

4. Remember that monarchs are a part of a larger ecosystem.

Plant different native and non-invasive nectar plants. Nectar is the most important resource to migrating monarchs. Even better, let part of your yard go wild if you can! Providing these habitats are vital for the survival of not just monarchs but all animals.

5. Leave them alone!

We know it seems counter productive, but it is best not to interfere. It may seem cruel, but nature has a way of balancing itself out and ensuring only the strongest of a species survives and reproduces. Examples:

If you notice predators attacking your caterpillars or eggs (wasps, lizards, birds, etc.), let nature take its course. Do not try to shield them and do not bring them inside and rear them. Studies have proven that these monarchs emerge less fit than those left to fend for themselves.

If you find a monarch that is injured or deformed, again, leave it be.

Yes! We see migratory monarchs during the spring and fall.

Unfortunately, the Cockrell Butterfly Center’s environment is not ideal for monarch butterflies. It is best to release them outside in their native habitat.

Try to release them in a sunny spot, preferably on a day that is above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Do not be surprised if they do not fly away immediately, they’ll do so when they’re ready!

We do not have the ability to take in injured or deformed butterflies. If found outside, we recommend leaving it and letting nature take its course. If you have already rescued the butterfly or it is one that you raised, we suggest one of the following options:

• You can keep it in a container with access to food to live out its life. A cotton ball in a dish soaked in hummingbird nectar or orange slices work well. Make sure you have plenty of twigs for the butterfly to climb on.
• Humanely euthanize the butterfly. You can do this by placing it in the freezer for a minimum of 24 hours. This will slowly and painlessly shutdown the butterfly’s systems.

Unfortunately, we do not have the facilities to adopt caterpillars. We recommend one of the following options:

• Leave them alone and let nature take its course.
• If your caterpillars are large, you can try feeding slices of butternut squash or pumpkin. This should give them enough nutrition to pupate.

Tropical milkweed has become quite controversial over the past few years, and with good reason. Scientific studies are showing that these milkweeds not only harbor OE and other diseases through the winter, they also may be disrupting the southern migration. Because tropical milkweed does not go dormant in the fall, these plants may cause southern-migrating monarchs to drop out of migration early and lay eggs in the late fall and winter.

If you are not willing to part with your planted tropical milkweed, at a minimum, please cut it back a few inches from the ground in late October.

Ophryocystis elektroscirrha, more simply known as OE, is a debilitating protozoan parasite known to infect milkweed feeding butterflies such as monarchs and their relatives. Learn more about OE and it’s affects on monarch butterflies.

Never use any sort of insecticides on plants in or near your garden!

If the caterpillars were all very large, they may have wandered off the host plant to find a secure place to pupate. However, monarch butterflies in all stages are a pillar of the food chain. Many insects and other animals use them as a food source, even though they’re poisonous. Again, do not interfere if your caterpillars are being predated on. This is circle of life stuff!