A Message From Our Director |
Over the past two years, we spread our wings farther than we ever imagined—and we couldn’t have done it without our partners and supporters. You showed up, donated, volunteered, attended meetings, and leaned in. Together, WE became the Oklahoma Monarch Society! 🧡 To capture the magical and pivotal moments in these developmental years, our team has crafted a butterfly’s view of our accomplishments. I hope you feel the excitement for pollinator conservation in Oklahoma as you read through our Inaugural Impact Report. This is cause for celebration... It took us nine years to get here, but we officially did it! 🎉 |
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🦋🌻 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival - May 2 in Elk City 🌻🦋 |
Hey Western Oklahoma! Okies for Monarchs is coming to you on Saturday, May 2 with a Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival from 12pm to 4pm at Arrowhead Center in Elk City. This family-friendly event features native wildflowers and milkweed plants and seeds for sale, plus expert tips to help you support monarchs and other pollinators.
Enjoy presentations, youth activities and more. Plus, stop by the Okies for Monarchs booth for free milkweed and native seed packets while supplies last! Getting excited?! So are we! We can hardly wait to see you at this event supported by our friends at Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.
Learn about the native wildflowers of Route 66! Native wildflower and milkweed plants and seed sale with Sanctuary Gardens, Johnston Seed Company, and Wild Roots. FREE* starter milkweed plants and wildflower seeds packets from Okies for Monarchs. Engaging activities for everyone with our friends at: Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, Johnston Seed Company, Oklahoma Biological Survey and North Fork of Red River Conservation District. Monarch merchandise and habitat signs for sale with Okies for Monarchs. Installation of a 100 sq ft demonstration pollinator habitat Tasty treats to eat from local food truck Surf Bar. Bring your monarch & milkweed questions! Local experts will be on hand and giving presentations.
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Monarchs in Motion: Good News & Early Arrivals |
🎉 There’s uplifting news for monarchs this season. The eastern population has increased for the second consecutive year, showing a roughly 64% rise from last winter’s count. While this is a hopeful step forward, populations are still far below resilient levels, reminding us that continued habitat and conservation efforts remain essential.
🦋 Monarchs are returning to Oklahoma in exciting fashion. The first sighting of the season was reported on March 8 in Calera, when a monarch was spotted nectaring on clover—an unexpectedly early arrival that kicked off the season. Since then, monarchs have been reported across the state, including recent sightings in Longtown near Eufaula and southern Oklahoma in Calera. From backyard milkweed patches to early blooms like redbuds, henbit, dandelions, and wildflowers, Oklahomans are already helping fuel their journey north. |
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Oklahoma’s Wildflower Roadsides: Beauty, Habitat, and Savings |
🌼 Oklahoma’s roadside wildflowers brighten highways and support pollinators that contribute to one in three bites of the food we eat. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s Monarch Program enhances and protects over 16,000 acres of pollinator habitat throughout the state. Native roadsides also reduce mowing, fuel, and labor costs while keeping highways scenic.
🤝 This effort, powered by Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Color Oklahoma (Oklahoma Native Plant Society), and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful, has earned national recognition for conservation and pollinator success. |
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Protect Oklahoma’s Migrating Birds and Pollinators! |
🦆 Every spring and fall, millions of birds migrate through Oklahoma along the Central Flyway. Artificial lights from homes, businesses, and stadiums can confuse birds at night, causing collisions and wasting energy.
🦋 Lights also disrupt pollinators and other wildlife, interfering with natural behaviors, reducing pollination, and attracting them to unsafe areas. You can help: turn off non-essential lights from 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. (especially during peak spring migration) April 15 – May 15, 2025
⭐️ Every light turned off protects wildlife and lets you enjoy a star-filled night sky! |
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Show Your Pollinator Pride! |
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Got Milkweed and Monarch Questions? |
support group on Facebook |
The events below are from our statewide community calendar.
Now - May 31 Oklahoma
April 18, 10 am - 3 pm Scissortail Park, OKC
April 18, 8 am - 4 pm Sand Springs Municipal Building, Sand Springs
April 18, 8 am - 12 pm OSU Oklahoma County Ext., OKC
April 18 & April 19, 9 am - 5 pm Native Plants Nursery, OKC
April 18, 11 am - 4 pm OKC Farmers Market District, OKC
April 19, 7:30 pm - 10:30 pm Discovery Cove Nature Center at Lake Thunderbird State Park, Norman
April 20 - 25 The Mac, Edmond
April 21, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm The Garden Center at Woodward Park, Tulsa
April 25, 7 am - 10:30 am Hackberry Flats Wildlife Managment Area, Davidson
April 25, 8 am - 4 pm Jenks Downtown Main Street, Jenks
April 25, 9 am - 3 pm Johnston Seed Company, Enid
April 25, 10 am - 2 pm Ray Harral Nature Center, Broken Arrow
April 25, 11 am - 3 pm Rocket Park, Durant
April 26, 12 pm - 5 pm Reaves Park, Norman
April 28, 1 pm - 2 pm Online, Webinar
May 1, 6 pm - 9 pm Flora Bodega, OKC
May 2, 12 pm - 4 pm Arrowhead Center, Elk City
May 2, 1 pm - 5 pm WildCare Oklahoma, Noble
May 3, 3 pm - 5 pm Westminister Park, Nichols Hills |
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Help plant the path for pollinators! |
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