The Entomological Path: A Crucial Haven for Monarch Butterfly and Desert Pollinators
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14198/cdbio.31254Keywords:
Danaus plexippus, Pollinators, Wallacean deficit, Umbrella species, In situ conservation, Interaction networksAbstract
The global biodiversity crisis is largely due to the drastic decline of insects, a group facing considerable gaps in taxonomic and distributional knowledge (Linnaean and Wallacean deficits, respectively). Given the urgent need for action, focusing conservation efforts on flagship species such as the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), whose migration acts as an effective umbrella species, offers a strategic solution. This study was conducted in the “Cráter Encantado” Ecopark, located in San Luis Potosí, central Mexico, part of the monarch’s migratory route, with the aim of identifying key interactions between flower-visiting butterflies and native plants. Forty-six butterfly species were collected visiting the flowers of 44 plant species. In addition, monarch butterfly visits to the flowers of 13 plant species were recorded. The implementation of an Entomological Trail, based on the propagation and reintroduction of these native plant species, created a space dedicated to pollinators and other arthropods, supporting both resident insects and the monarch butterfly and other migratory species. The formalization of the Entomological Trail, through an intersectoral collaboration model (academia, government, civil society, and the private sector), establishes an in situ conservation strategy that serves as a replicable model for the protection of pollinators along the migratory route.
Funding
Financiado por Rotary International y Fundación Armadillo.References
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alfredo Ramírez Hernández, Guillermo Lezama-Balderas, Sandra Milena Gelviz-Gelvez, Felipe Barragán
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