Regardless of how the butterflies fare this year, the long-term prospects for the migration seem to be dimming. Habitat loss, insecticide use and extreme weather all pose deadly threats to the species.
Researchers report the second-lowest number of monarchs wintering in Mexico ever recorded this season.
Researchers began the year with low expectations for the butterflies, which started the spring in Mexico with the second smallest population ever recorded. Baum said poor weather conditions in the upper Midwest – where many of the butterflies spend the summer – hurt monarch reproduction. “Every scientist I've talked to agrees that the monarch butterfly migration is going away. It’s just a question of when," said Maeckle, who recently wrote the bookBut, she said, the end of the migration would not mean the end of all monarch butterflies. As long as there are places where conditions are favorable year-round, they should continue on in smaller populations.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
At this South Texas political convention, everyone has a voice, regardless of legal statusInspired by the work of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the biennial “cumbre” helps South Texans organize for political change.
Read more »
At this South Texas political convention, everyone has a voice, regardless of legal statusInspired by the work of Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta, the biennial “cumbre” helps South Texans organize for political change.
Read more »
San Antonio Zoo & Zoo Miami release 50 Texas horned lizards into their natural habitatThe San Antonio Zoo celebrated a historic milestone in conservation with the release of 50 Texas horned lizards into their native habitat.
Read more »
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Galveston, Texas job with University of Texas Medical branch (UTMB)A postdoctoral scholar position is available in the lab of Dr. Rovshan Sadygov at the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Medical Branch (Galveston, TX). The research focus of the lab is broadly on bioinformatics and mass informatics of proteomics.
Read more »
Texas Eats: Rating the top bites at the 2024 State Fair of Texas & haunted celebrity hotspotThe State Fair of Texas, which is open until Oct. 20, has a new batch of Big Tex Choice Awards Winners and Finalists. Join David Elder as he takes us on a food tour to try out all the new bites.
Read more »
Takeaways from the Texas Tribune-Associated Press report on 24 hours along the Texas-Mexico borderReporters from both organizations spent a day documenting the reality on the border. Here’s a summary of what they found.
Read more »