Field Activities & Protocols
Site Description & Conservation Management History
Participants must first describe their monitoring plot before conducting any activities. Page 2 of the form should be updated for all subsequent visits. The Conservation Management History (pages 3-4) should be completed for conservation sites that have or are undergoing any type of management.
Activity 1 (Milkweed and Blooming Plant Survey)
Activity 1 is designed to assess monarch habitat at a site. Participants count the number of milkweed host plants and assess the relative abundance of blooming plants that provide nectar for adult monarchs. Activities 1 and 2 may be combined if desired.
Activity 2 (Monarch Egg and Larva Survey)
In Activity 2, participants monitor milkweed plants in their monitoring plot for monarch eggs and larvae.
Activity 3 (Adult Monarch Survey)
Activity 3 documents adult monarch presence and behavior. Participants conduct a Modified Pollard Walk to count the number of adult monarchs present at their monitoring plot and record behavior of those monarchs.
Activity 4 (Monarch Survival)
Activity 4 assesses local sources and rates of monarch parasitism through collection of monarch larvae that are reared and their fate reported. Important note: public lands often require a scientific collector’s permit to collect live organisms, so this activity cannot be conducted until necessary permits are secured.
Training
Learn about the Integrated Monarch Monitoring Program via training workshops or online training videos here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read these frequently asked questions to find the answers to your questions about IMMP monitoring. If your question isn’t listed there, let us know and we will add it!
Additional Resources
Access landowner waivers, plant identification guides, outreach materials, and more here.