caterpillars on milkweed
A Shell employee built a protective cage to hatch caterpillars on milkweed

Partnering with leading conservation groups, Shell aims to provide food and shelter for Monarch butterflies on the epic migrations each year.

Just like a car needs fuel, Monarch butterflies need a place to eat and rest every spring and fall during their migration. Shell is working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), the Wildlife Habitat Council and Houston Wilderness to include plants and sheltered areas to “refuel” butterflies on their migratory path.

The importance of pollinators

When people think of the term pollinators, they probably think of bees and humming birds. Monarch butterflies and many other insects also play an important role in pollinating plants, which is critical to our food supply.

Pollinators are vital to the health and economy of the world, propagating wild flowering plants as well as many agricultural crops. Insect pollination is vital to food security, contributing to at least 35% of the world’s food production and pollinating many other plants needed for beverages, fibers, medicines and spices. Yet the monarch butterfly population has decreased by as much as 90% in the last twenty years in a large part to habitat loss and other factors.