© 2026 Boise State Public Radio
NPR in Idaho
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

The effort to create pollinator rest stops for monarch butterflies

Eastern monarch butterflies are flying more than 2,000 miles south, through the central U.S., to overwinter in Mexico.

A decade ago, a federal plan aimed to help the pollinators along their journey and offset habitat loss by planting strips of milkweed and wildflowers along Interstate 35.

While the project lost momentum, some Midwestern states continue to plant pollinator rest stops.

Harvest Public Media’s Rachel Cramer reports.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

Copyright 2026 WBUR

You make stories like this possible.

The biggest portion of Boise State Public Radio's funding comes from readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

Your donation today helps make our local reporting free for our entire community.