authored by Chloe Wolfe, NALT Preserve Staff
The North American Land Trust partnered with the Monarch Joint Venture to collect and submit data for the International Monarch Monitoring Blitz. This is a community science event that gathers data on monarch butterflies and their host plant, milkweed, throughout North America. This summer was NALT’s second year participating in this data collection and marked the 10th anniversary of the Monarch Monitoring Blitz.
With the help of five volunteers, NALT collected data across two acres of the west pollinator meadow at the Brinton Run Preserve in Chadds Ford, PA. The two acres were subdivided into eight quarter acre plots to make data collection easier. The volunteers lined up and walked through each plot recording their observations on the milkweed and monarchs found on the plants directly in front of them. This method helped to eliminate as many human errors as possible such as recounting or missing plants. The approximate results for 2025 and 2026 collections are as follows:
The results from this year’s Monarch Blitz compared with last year showed both similarities and differences. A key takeaway is that this year’s volunteer group recorded fewer milkweed plants and Monarch butterfly sightings. However, this year’s data showed higher counts of monarch eggs and caterpillars. Many factors like weather conditions and human error may have been cause for some of the differences seen between the two years. Overall, the data shows a decrease in milkweed plants and Monarch butterfly sightings, but an increase in early monarch reproduction.
Participating in community science opportunities not only supports important conservation research but also helps volunteers build a stronger connection with the natural world. By gaining hands-on experience, volunteers are able to better understand how their efforts contribute to important research initiatives like this.
photo credit and authorship to Chloe Wolfe
