© 2026 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Raise the roosts

Ways To Subscribe
Garden Variety, hosted by Charity Nebbe

Thousands of monarch butterflies are finishing their annual migration south to Mexico.

On this episode, Samantha McIntosh sits in for Charity Nebbe. We talk with Mykayla Hagaman of the Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, who gives us an update on monarch populations. We also hear about her efforts to help track monarch migration this fall.

To further grow your gardening knowledge, sign up for our Garden Variety newsletter. And check out all the episodes of Garden Variety, the horticulture podcast for all the things you’d like to grow or grow better.

Guest:

  • Mykayla Hagaman, program specialist, Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium
Samantha McIntosh is an award-winning talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University. Since 2022, McIntosh has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.
Aaron Steil is a Consumer Horticulture Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach. Aaron contributes his expertise to the Garden Variety podcast and newsletter and to Talk of Iowa's Horticulture Day program.
Neve Kelley is IPR's talk show production assistant. She recently graduated from Oberlin College, where she studied English, environmental studies, writing and communication. She is originally from Peoria, Illinois. She uses her passion for community-centered storytelling to showcase the people, culture and arts that shape Iowa. Some of her favorite things to do in Iowa include going to shows at Codfish Hollow and the Englert, visiting different coffee shops and taking yoga classes.