Endangered monarch butterflies boom on Canadian Prairies amid wet, hot summer

Backyard monarch enthusiasts across Manitoba are reporting unusually high numbers of caterpillars, chrysalises, and butterflies this summer, with one gardener counting 20 caterpillars on milkweed in a single day. The wet, hot conditions have produced abundant milkweed and flowering plants the endangered species depends on.

Experts cannot yet confirm whether weather is the primary driver; observations are largely anecdotal, though they align with ecological conditions that favour monarchs.