Keep An Eye Out For Oklahoma’s Returning Monarch Butterflies

Monarchs are already returning to Oklahoma! The butterflies were first spotted making their spring migration through Oklahoma earlier this month, and have been popping up more and more this month.

The Oklahoma Monarch Society has been keep track of sightings in Oklahoma, and multiple sightings have been recorded this month.

A monarch was spotted in southern Oklahoma in early March.

One of the earliest sightings occurred on March 8 in Calera in southern Oklahoma. The sighting was on a private monarch habitat that has since seen more monarchs this month, including mating monarchs.

Oklahoma residents encouraged to keep flowering weeds in their yards as monarchs arrive early.

Milkweed is the main plant monarchs feed on, but it's a bit early for milkweed to emerge, so Oklahoma residents are encouraged to hold off on mowing over flowering weeds. Many Oklahoma residents have started to see their lawns come back to life, and this includes some flowering weeds, like purple henbit and yellow dandelions.

READ MORE: Here's Why Weeds Should Stay In Oklahoma Lawns

How to report monarch sightings in Oklahoma.

As monarchs make their way through Oklahoma, you can submit your sightings at journeynorth.org. Recording sightings, especially with clear pictures, can help researchers record data about monarchs, including migration patterns, behavior, population, etc.

How to attract monarchs to yards in Oklahoma.

You can also attract more monarchs to your yard simply by planting native wildflowers! According to the Oklahoma Monarch Society, the best places to source native wildflowers to plant in your yard is through local nurseries.

Planting native wildflowers can help provide a habitat for monarchs as they arrive in Oklahoma and provides them with necessary fuel. More information about planting native wildflowers is available on the Okies for Monarchs official website.

READ MORE: How To Avoid Non-Native Seeds When Gardening In Oklahoma