interesting article by Xerces about raising monarchs

[Kate Taylor]

Keep Monarchs Wild: Why Captive Rearing Isn’t the Way to Help Monarchs

https://xerces.org/blog/keep-monarchs-wild

They make several points: (All direct quotations below)...

Monarchs evolved to have very high rates of predation and parasitism, so stepping in in the hope that a higher proportion of eggs make it to adulthood is not necessarily the best thing for the population as a whole. 

rearing monarchs in captivity can promote an increase in parasites, which can then be spread to wild monarchs when they are released. 

continuous rearing over multiple generations can decrease genetic diversity, and have negative effects on wild populations. 

releasing captive-bred monarchs into the wild can interfere with research studies aimed at developing a better understanding of monarch movement.

Arguably, the problem may not be that we have too few monarchs, but rather that the monarchs that are still wild don’t have enough of what they need. 

Instead of rearing—which is risky and unproven in helping monarchs—we should focus on more effective ways to conserve these glorious wild animals. Our tactics should address the reasons the species is in trouble to begin with. We can do this through taking action to protect natural habitat; to plant native milkweed and flowers; avoid pesticides; support wildlife-friendly, local, and organic agriculture; contribute to research efforts via community science; and organize ourselves to push for policy changes.