Illinois

Statewide: Helping the monarch butterfly

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published September 17, 2026 at 9:32 AM CDT

The eastern monarch butterfly's migration from the high-elevation fir forests of central Mexico to the northern U.S. and southern Canada requires multiple generations. A "super generation" makes the long journey back in the fall.

A decade ago, a federal task force announced a plan to help monarch butterflies along their great migration. The six-state effort didn’t take off as expected, but some roadsides are blooming anyway, including in Illinois.

We have a report.

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