Join the Monarch Blitz’s 10th Anniversary: Every Observation Matters
Tiohtià:ke (Montreal), 23 July 2026—The International Monarch Monitoring Blitz is just around the corner! From 31 July to 9 August 2026, we invite everyone across North America to head outside and search for monarch butterflies and milkweed plants.
Each summer, this 10-day event brings together thousands of volunteers across the continent to help identify priority areas for monarch conservation and guide concrete actions on the ground. Whether you take part once or throughout the entire period, every observation matters.
Last year, over 9,000 volunteers contributed thousands of observations. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Monarch Blitz, and we are calling on everyone to make it the most impactful one yet! Help us reach our goal of 10 Years: 10,000 More Participants!
How to Participate
From planning a group outing with friends and family to simply keeping an eye out during your daily routine, everyone can contribute, whether you are in an urban or rural setting.
Getting involved is simple: during the 10 days of the Monarch Blitz, head outside, look for milkweed plants and monarchs (eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises or butterflies) and share your observations through the data platform of a participating community program. It’s that easy!
Don’t miss this special year for the Monarch Blitz, start reporting your observations on 31 July!
Celebrating 10 Years of North American Community Science
The Monarch Blitz is a unique cross-border effort to conserve one of North America's most iconic migratory species: the monarch butterfly. Because monarch butterflies migrate across the continent, cross-boundary collaboration is essential to better understand the species, its movement patterns and the habitats it depends on.
Over the past decade, tens of thousands of volunteers across North America have contributed observations that have helped scientists identify priority areas for conservation, track population trends and guide on-the-ground habitat restoration. Together, this regional effort is helping conserve a species that connects ecosystems and communities across the continent.
From scientific publications to educational workshops, community gatherings and outdoor events, discover the wide-ranging impact of this volunteer-driven initiative across North America.
About the Monarch Blitz’s Impact
Help Us Fill the Observation Gaps
To celebrate this milestone year, observations reported by volunteers in recent Monarch Blitz editions have been harmonized into an interactive map. The map identifies “observation spots,” including observation hot spots where monarch and milkweed sightings have been abundant, observation cold spots where milkweed has been observed but monarchs have not (or have only been reported in very low numbers) and observation mixed spots where observations vary.
Cold spots are the priority! By exploring one near you, confirming the presence of milkweed and reporting what you see, you can help fill critical data gaps.
No cold spot around you? No problem. You can still go out and document any observations you make, helping contribute valuable data on recent monarch and milkweed sightings in your area. Whether you’re exploring your neighborhood, visiting a protected area or discovering new places through our interactive map, every observation helps build a clearer picture of monarch distribution across North America.
The Monarch Blitz is organized by a collaboration of organizations from across North America. To learn more about this unique initiative and the organizations behind it visit monarchblitz.org.
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