MonarchNet was started in 2009 during a meeting of scientists and monarch butterfly biologists, who proposed the initial idea of a cooperative network of monitoring programs, and a central place where the data from such programs would be accessible. An initial website was designed and launched (by founding member Andy Davis) in 2010 and then updated to the current site in September 2015. This effort is now a reality and a great step forward for monarch butterfly conservation. Right is a photo of the founding members of MonarchNet. From left to right are Dennis Frey, Nate Nibbelink, Becky Bartel (kneeling), Karen Oberhauser, Reba Batalden (kneeling), Leslie Ries, Eduardo Rendon-Salinas, Tara Crewe (kneeling), Elizabeth Howard, Sonia Altizer (kneeling) and Andy Davis.

MonarchNet is currently a joint project of the North American Butterfly Monitoring Network, led by Leslie Ries, and the Monarch Joint Venture, led by Karen Oberhauser. Andy Davis continues to play a lead advisory role, and we continue to work with our network of program directors and scientists focused on monarch data integration.