Monarch Publications
Peer-reviewed published literature which uses the Western Monarch Count dataset:
Ibsen, P. C., Ancona, Z. H., Pelton, E., Little, S., & Diffendorfer, J. E. (2026). Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California. Conservation Science and Practice, 8(4), e70253. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70253
LINK: Https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70253
Crone, E. E., E. M. Pelton, L. M. Brown, C. C. Thomas, and C. B. Schultz. 2019. Why are monarch butterflies declining in the west? understanding the importance of multiple correlated drivers. Ecological Applications: A Publication Of The Ecological Society Of America 29:e01975. PDF
LINK: PDF
Pelton, E. M., C. B. Schultz, S. J. Jepsen, S. H. Black, and E. E. Crone. 2019. Western monarch population plummets: status, probable causes, and recommended conservation actions. Frontiers In Ecology And Evolution 7:258.
LINK: Western monarch population plummets: status, probable causes, and recommended conservation actions
Schultz, C.B., L.M. Brown, E. Pelton, and E.E. Crone. 2017. Citizen science monitoring demonstrates dramatic declines of monarch butterflies in western North America Biological Conservation. 214:343-346.
Espeset, A.E., J.G. Harrison, A.M. Shapiro, C.C. Nice, J.H. Thorne, D.P. Waetjen, J.A. Fordyce, and M.L. Forister. 2016. Understanding a migratory species in a changing world: climatic effects and demographic declines in the western monarch revealed by four decades of instensive monitoring. Oecologia. 2016 Mar 21:1-2.
Jepsen, S. and S.H. Black. 2015. Understanding and conserving the western North American monarch population. In Oberhauser, K.S., K.R. Nail, and S.M. Alitizer, eds. Monarchs in a Changing World: Biology and Conservation of an Iconic Insect. Ithaca, USA: Cornell University Press.
Ries, L. and K. Oberhauser. 2015. A citizen army for science: quantifying the contributions of citizen scientists to our understanding of monarch butterfly biology. BioScience 65: 419-430.
Stevens, S.R. and D. Frey. 2010. Host plant pattern and variation in climate predict the location of natal grounds for migratory monarch butterflies in western North America. Journal of Insect Conservation 14: 731-744.
Vandenbosch, R. 2007. What do monarch population time series tell us about eastern and western population mixing? Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 61(1): 28-31.
LINK: What do monarch population time series tell us about eastern and western population mixing?
Koenig, W. 2006. Spatial synchrony of monarch butterflies. The American Midland Naturalist 155(1): 39-49.
LINK: Spatial synchrony of monarch butterflies.
Frey, D. and A. Schaffner. 2004. Spatial and temporal patterns of monarch overwintering abundance in Western North America. In Oberhauser, K.S. and M.J. Solensky, eds. The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
LINK: Spatial and temporal patterns of monarch overwintering abundance in Western North America.
Notice: Below is a list of 8 important links included on this page.
1. Https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70253
3. PDF
4. Western monarch population plummets: status, probable causes, and recommended conservation actions
6. What do monarch population time series tell us about eastern and western population mixing?
7. Spatial synchrony of monarch butterflies.
8. Spatial and temporal patterns of monarch overwintering abundance in Western North America.
Please note that while screen readers have made significant strides, they may still lack full support for optimal web accessibility.
Peer-reviewed published literature which uses the Western Monarch Count dataset:
Ibsen, P. C., Ancona, Z. H., Pelton, E., Little, S., & Diffendorfer, J. E. (2026). Density dependence and habitat selection affect overwintering abundance of monarch butterflies at regional and site scales in California. Conservation Science and Practice, 8(4), e70253. https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.70253
Crone, E. E., E. M. Pelton, L. M. Brown, C. C. Thomas, and C. B. Schultz. 2019. Why are monarch butterflies declining in the west? understanding the importance of multiple correlated drivers. Ecological Applications: A Publication Of The Ecological Society Of America 29:e01975. PDF
Pelton, E. M., C. B. Schultz, S. J. Jepsen, S. H. Black, and E. E. Crone. 2019. Western monarch population plummets: status, probable causes, and recommended conservation actions. Frontiers In Ecology And Evolution 7:258.
Schultz, C.B., L.M. Brown, E. Pelton, and E.E. Crone. 2017. Citizen science monitoring demonstrates dramatic declines of monarch butterflies in western North America Biological Conservation. 214:343-346.
Espeset, A.E., J.G. Harrison, A.M. Shapiro, C.C. Nice, J.H. Thorne, D.P. Waetjen, J.A. Fordyce, and M.L. Forister. 2016. Understanding a migratory species in a changing world: climatic effects and demographic declines in the western monarch revealed by four decades of instensive monitoring. Oecologia. 2016 Mar 21:1-2.
Jepsen, S. and S.H. Black. 2015. Understanding and conserving the western North American monarch population. In Oberhauser, K.S., K.R. Nail, and S.M. Alitizer, eds. Monarchs in a Changing World: Biology and Conservation of an Iconic Insect. Ithaca, USA: Cornell University Press.
Ries, L. and K. Oberhauser. 2015. A citizen army for science: quantifying the contributions of citizen scientists to our understanding of monarch butterfly biology. BioScience 65: 419-430.
Stevens, S.R. and D. Frey. 2010. Host plant pattern and variation in climate predict the location of natal grounds for migratory monarch butterflies in western North America. Journal of Insect Conservation 14: 731-744.
Vandenbosch, R. 2007. What do monarch population time series tell us about eastern and western population mixing? Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society 61(1): 28-31.
Koenig, W. 2006. Spatial synchrony of monarch butterflies. The American Midland Naturalist 155(1): 39-49.
Frey, D. and A. Schaffner. 2004. Spatial and temporal patterns of monarch overwintering abundance in Western North America. In Oberhauser, K.S. and M.J. Solensky, eds. The Monarch Butterfly: Biology and Conservation. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
