U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service February 2019 Conserving South Carolina’s At-Risk Species: www.fws.gov/charleston www.fws.gov/southeast/endangered-species-act/at-risk-species Species facing threats to their survival

Monarch butterfly habitats are high altitude Mexican conifer engaging citizen scientists in monitoring (Danaus plexippus) forests, coastal California conifers, or Eu- Monarchs during their migratory, breed- calyptus groves. In South Carolina during ing, and overwintering seasons. Addition- the fall, winter, and early spring, Mon- ally, more research needs to be conducted archs can be found basking or roosting on to better document the distribution of evergreen trees and shrubs such as: wintering Monarchs along the South Car- Southern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana olina coast. Monarchs that winter along var. silicicola), Wax myrtle (Morella ce- the Atlantic coast, the extent of which is rifera), Red bay (Persea borbonia), and Ley- not yet determined, may provide a re- land cypress (Cupressus x leylandii). serve of wintering Monarchs that could become extremely valuable to the long- Status term survival of the eastern migratory Monarch butterfly/Photo credit: Jennifer The Monarch population has recently de- population of North American Monarchs. Koches clined to a fraction of its previous size. In the 1990s, estimates of up to one billion References Description Monarchs overwintered in the oyamel fir Jepsen, S., D. F. Schweitzer, B. Young, The Monarch butterfly is a large orange forests northwest of Mexico City, and N. Sears, M. Ormes, and S. H. Black. butterfly that is similar in appearance to more than one million Monarchs overwin- 2015. Conservation Status and Ecology of the smaller Viceroy (Limenitis archippus), tered in forested groves on the California Monarchs in the United States. 36 pp. Na- flies using shallower wingbeats, and has a coast. In the winter of 2013-2014, esti- tureServe, Arlington, Virginia, and the black post-median line on the hindwing. mates from overwintering sites in Mexico Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conserva- The upperside of the male is bright orange suggest that only about 33 million Mon- tion, Portland, Oregon. with wide black borders and black veins archs overwintered, representing a 90% and the hindwing has a patch of scent drop from the 20-year average. The U.S. Lotts, Kelly and Thomas Naberhaus, coor- scales. The upperside of the female is or- Fish and Wildlife Service was petitioned dinators. 2015. Butterflies and Moths of ange-brown with wide black borders and to list the species in August 2014 and is- North America. Data set accessed 2016- blurred black veins. Both sexes have sued a 90-day finding in December 2014 06-09 at www.butterfliesandmoths.org white spots on borders and apex. that listing the species may be warranted.

McCord, John W., Primary Coastal Mon- Range Threats arch Nectar Plants by Two-week (Half The species is widespread in the U.S., Three factors appear most important to Month) Period, South Carolina Depart- except for the high Rockies, and in south- explain the decline of Monarchs: loss of ment of Natural Resources, 2015. Un- ern Canada, with the overall range ex- milkweed breeding habitat, logging at published report. tending through Central America and the overwintering sites, and climate change Caribbean to South America. Monarchs and extreme weather. In addition, natural NatureServe. 2015. NatureServe Explor- also occur in Hawaii, Australia, and sever- enemies such as diseases, predators, and er: An online encyclopedia of life [web al Pacific islands, as well as parts of Asia, parasites, as well as insecticides used in application]. Version 7.1. NatureServe, Africa, and southern Europe. agricultural areas may also contribute to Arlington, Virginia. Available http://

the decline. explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: June Habitat 9, 2016 ). The Monarch butterfly occurs in a variety Management/Protection Needs of habitats where it searches for milk- Recommendations for management and Contact weed, its host plant. In South Carolina, protection of remaining Monarch popula- U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service females have been observed laying eggs on tions are: protection and restoration of South Carolina Field Office Gulf Coast Swallow-wort or Marsh Swal- milkweed breeding habitat; protection 843/727-4707 low-wort (Seutera angustifolia), a close rel- and restoration of overwintering sites; and [email protected] ative of true milkweeds. Overwintering