The city of Dover becomes a Monarch City

By Delia Trenbath
Reader Contributor

Congratulations to the city of Dover for becoming a “Monarch City” — the second community in the state of Idaho to proudly carry that title. The Dover City Council unanimously voted to accept this decision at their May 9 council meeting. Dover has also adopted the first week in June as “Pollinator Week,” which is included in the recent proclamation signed May 9 by Mayor George Eskridge. This is part of Dover’s longstanding commitment to protect and promote its natural environment. 

Dover is one of the few cities nationwide that has more than 20% designated open space and which is home for many native plants, animals and beneficial insects. Last year, The Mighty Monarchs Conservation Group planted seven monarch waystations in the meadow area of Pine Street Woods located in Dover, with the support of Kaniksu Land Trust. This group has also been engaging with the city of Dover and other surrounding communities to share information about the monarch butterfly and other native pollinator insects and plants, as well as creating monarch waystations and milkweed propagation gardens. 

The western monarch butterfly begins its migration each spring in Baja and the California coast and travels north to Canada. These incredible butterflies will complete approximately three life cycles and the offspring will arrive in Idaho during the month of June. They will then propagate during the summer, using milkweed as their only food source in the larval stage. The monarch will complete a couple of 30-day reproductive cycles and then begin its migration back to the warmer climates in early September. 

However the monarch has been severely affected by the growth of housing and commercial development, changes in weather, pesticide use and diminishing sources of milkweed vital to their reproduction. There has been up to a 97% decline in the western monarch butterfly population since the 1980s and a total of 233,394 monarchs were counted at 256 overwintering sites from 2023-’24, according to the Xerces Society. 

The city of Dover and its residents, along with local businesses, environmental groups and surrounding communities can make a positive impact on protecting the monarch butterfly and other pollinators and promoting a native pollinator environment. One of the most important ways is to plant native milkweed, as the monarch will only lay her eggs on milkweed and it is the sole food for the developing caterpillar. Planting other native plants such as aster, narrowleaf penstemon and goldenrod will help the monarch and other pollinators’ nectar source. Equally important is becoming educated about the devastating effects of pesticides to our pollinator population. 

Ask your local nurseries if the plants are pesticide free. Establishing a pollinator-friendly pesticide regimen will help protect the monarch and other vital pollinators.

You can read Dover’s Pollinator Week proclamation on the cityofdover.id.gov website and make an important decision to help the monarchs return to our area and support other pollinators to thrive. 

Plant native milkweed and other native and flowering pollinating plants, learn about the effects of pesticides and commit to a pollinator-friendly regimen, and support your local organizations working to protect the environment for all to enjoy. 

Area residents are encouraged to visit Dover City Hall for additional educational information or contact The Mighty Monarchs Conservation Group at [email protected].

Congratulations to Dover for making this important commitment to protect and support our monarch and entire pollinator population! 

Delia Trenbeath is a Dover resident and a member of The Mighty Monarchs Conservation Group.