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Should I kill insects or other predators that I suspect are killing the monarchs in my garden? Is there a way to prevent predation from happening that will not harm the monarchs?
Predation is a normal part of the monarch life cycle. Killing insects or other predators that you suspect are harming the monarchs in your garden is not encouraged. Instead, participating in community science programs such as Project Monarch Health and the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project will allow you to contribute data on what’s going on in your habitat to monarch conservation. Even though it may be difficult to see monarchs die, knowing what caused their demise is extremely beneficial to understanding the survival rates of monarch. It also helps gain insight into the overall health of the monarch population. Community science data collected through these and other programs have resulted in new discoveries about monarchs and the pressures they face.