The Deschutes Land Trust announced today that it is hosting a Monarch Butterfly Naming Contest in July. Kids ages 5-17 can submit a name for a monarch butterfly July 10-26, 2026. Winners will have their submitted name connected to a monarch butterfly tracking tag so they can track their monarch!
The Deschutes Land Trust has been working to conserve and boost local monarch butterfly habitat since 2019. The Monarch Naming Contest supports regional efforts to track and study monarch butterfly migration. Submitted names will be given to ten tagged monarch butterflies to study what migration pathways they follow. Kids ages 5-17 can submit one name suggestion via the Land Trust’s online form between July 10-26, 2026. The Land Trust will choose ten winners the week of July 27th. Winners will be notified by email and announced in our August e-newsletter. Winners will also have their submitted name connected to the monarch butterfly tracking tag so they can track their monarch via the Project Monarch App. (One entry per person please. Entries will close at midnight PDT on 7/26.)
Why do monarch butterflies need our help?
Western monarch butterflies are native to Central Oregon and sadly, their overall population numbers are in a drastic decline. Habitat loss is a major factor; that’s why the Land Trust has been working for years to boost monarch conservation and native milkweed populations.
The naming contest is helping support a Land Trust partnership with Washington State University entomologist Dr. David James and WingsRising’s Patrick Adair. The Land Trust’s ten names will be connected to solar-powered e-tags that will be affixed to monarch butterflies that will be released in late summer to begin their annual migration to the California coast.
The tags will provide live tracking via the Project Monarch App. Anyone with the Project Monarch App can track the progress of tagged monarchs. Tracking data will help scientists better understand the routes the butterflies use to fly south for the winter, and how we can protect and improve habitat along their migration routes.
Not a kiddo, but still want to participate? Plant more milkweed to help boost habitat for monarch butterflies. The Land Trust will even send you free seeds! Learn more: deschuteslandtrust.org/milkweed.
This story is based on submitted information and has not been verified by our news team.
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