- October 8, 2025 - Insectarium : Mission Monarch
At Espace pour la vie, it’s part of our DNA to celebrate involvement in community-science projects like Mission Monarch. In this article we yield the floor to two Mission Monarch mega-participants, Johanne Comte and Daniel Proulx, who have each racked up well over a hundred missions!
Through their testimonials, discover journeys marked by a sense of wonder, perseverance, and love of nature. These mega-participants share their observations, their advice and their vision for the future of conservation. A sincere, inspiring plunge into civic engagement in the service of butterflies.
Johanne Comte: 180 missions
Johanne discovered monarchs at the age of 11, as part of a school project she still has traces of today. Since then, her attachment to the species has never faltered. “The loss of monarchs, the loss of any life makes me sad. Every contribution, however slight it may be, can make a difference.”
She describes inventorying as a personal obligation, motivated by hope and the pleasure of establishing that nature is still holding out. One of her most wonderful memories? “Being there live as eggs are laid. Seeing a female arch her abdomen and deposit eggs under the leaves around me, in my milkweeds, was a moment of unforgettable happiness.”
Johanne is also a teacher at heart. She shares valuable advice for beginners: “Arm yourself with patience, turn the leaves over gently, listen… You can hear caterpillars feeding!” She dreams of a future where Mission Monarch will offer more training, feedback, and exchange opportunities among participants.
Daniel Proulx : 148 missions
The owner of unused farmland, Daniel has been observing monarchs for years. Retired now, he explores his land on foot or by ATV, keeping an eye on milkweed areas. “Monarchs are beautiful, and I want to contribute to monitoring the species.”
Despite a marked drop in observations these last few years, Daniel remains hopeful. “I like it when there are lots of butterflies, and seeing them mate reassures me that the species will survive.” He encourages the community not to get discouraged: “Even if there’s a decline these days, we have to carry on,” he insists.
His connection with nature is profound and personal. Since 2016 he’s been fighting to protect his land from industrial projects. “For me, nature is a lot about trees. Getting away from Montréal helps me breathe more easily.”
Now it’s your turn!
Like to share a testimonial about your experience or offer Mission Monarch training to people in your circle? We can send you a PDF of our presentation. Write us at [email protected]
To consult the profiles of our mega-participants and to see their observations, log into your Mission Monarch account:
Want to learn more about what a mission is? Look up our blog post explaining it here: Flash or Mission? Understanding the two types of data at Mission Monarch.
