SCIENCE NEWS
April 26, 2005
Monarch Butterflies at Risk
Severe weather conditions and other dangers are harming the monarch butterfly population
 A monarch butterfly stocking up on fuel in New Hampshire. |
Monarch butterflies are one of the largest butterflies in North America. Each year, millions of the colorful butterflies flock back north to the United States after spending the winter in Mexico.
 |  Monarch butterflies gather on an Oyamel tree at the butterfly sanctuary in Michoacan, Mexico. |
Monarchs are one of the most well-known butterfly species. But severe weather conditions and habitat destruction are putting the delicate butterfly population in jeopardy. Some butterfly experts say that the number of monarch butterflies has been cut by 25 percent.
Life Cycle in Danger
Monarch butterflies are creatures of habit. Each November, the orange and black butterflies fly to the mountains of central Mexico. They return to the U.S. in April. During the journey north, the butterflies lay eggs on milkweed plants and then die. That’s when the life cycle begins again.
In recent years, the weather has been hard on the fragile insects. Experts say that unusually cold temperatures, rain and droughts have caused monarchs to die in large numbers. These severe conditions have also prevented new butterflies from hatching.
Weather isn’t the butterflies' only problem. Illegal logging and pesticide use in the forests of Mexico are also killing the butterflies. The monarchs showed signs of coming back in 2003. But the past two winters in Mexico have been so cold that the butterflies have suffered a setback. Scientists worry that monarchs won’t produce as many offspring as a result of these problems.
"If we lose the whole migration, we lose one of the nation's most magnificent phenomenon," said Chip Taylor, a professor at the University of Kansas. "These butterflies are the symbol of richness of biological diversity and marvelous scientific aspect."
