Few species are as much of a joy to spot outdoors as the monarch butterfly. The beautiful migratory insects are beloved for the stunning black, orange, and white designs on their wings and their important role in the ecosystem as pollinators. But unfortunately, the creature’s delicate state now goes far beyond its gentle, fluttering presence, as scientists warn that monarch butterflies could disappear from the U.S. for good.
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Monarch butterflies have been dwindling over the last few decades.
While their eye-catching colors might feel like a common sight on a warm day, monarch butterflies have experienced a steep population decline in recent decades. According to U.S. wildlife officials, the eastern migratory population of the insect has dropped 80 percent since the 1980s, while the western migratory population has cratered a shocking 95 percent, per CNN.
Some experts are now sounding the alarm that such a sharp decline means the beloved insects could disappear from their North American habitat before the end of the century unless steps are taken to prevent it.
Environmental factors are likely to blame.
Part of the reason monarch butterflies are so familiar is their sprawling habitat and migratory pattern, which take them from Mexico through the contiguous U.S. to Canada. However, recent changes have disrupted the delicate ecosystem that allows them to survive.
Experts say one of the most pressing issues is climate change. Monarchs typically time their return trip from Canada to Mexico once cooler temperatures emerge in the early days of fall. However, as average temperatures rise, the insects are delaying their departure for too long.
“The monarchs are getting completely confused,” Rebeca Quiñonez-Piñón, monarch recovery strategist for the National Wildlife Federation, told The Washington Post. “For them, it’s like a trap. They get trapped in some specific single places when they should be moving south.”
Monarchs are also suffering the loss of milkweed, their main food source, due to the prevalence of more extreme weather conditions, Eduardo Rendón-Salinas, lead of the monarch butterfly program for World Wide Federation-Mexico, told CNN.
Unfortunately, even if they can complete their newly complicated journey, illegal logging in Mexico also threatens their winter resting place.
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Some officials are making moves to protect monarch butterflies.
Due to the alarming population drop, some organizations are taking action. The International Union for Conservation of Nature was the first to designate monarch butterflies as endangered in 2022. On Dec. 10, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service formally proposed using the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to officially list the insects as threatened to help kick off conservation efforts.
The plan would allow some provisions for farmers that would minimize impacts on agricultural activities, would not prevent homeowners from performing basic yard work activities, and wouldn’t prevent popular programs of raising the butterflies in classrooms across the U.S., The Post reports.
However, setting the species one level below “endangered” would require large landowners to consult with the agency to minimize environmental impacts affecting the monarch’s habitat. It also aims to create a 4,400 area in California as a critical protected habitat for the western species—which has a 99 percent chance of disappearing in the next 60 years if trends do not change.
“The species has been declining for a number of years,” Kristen Lundh, a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, told The Post in a video interview. “We’re hoping that this is a call to everybody to say this species is in decline, and now is our opportunity to help reverse that decline.”
The agency will take feedback on its proposal until March 12. It will then weigh the replies and alter its proposition, aiming for a final decision before the end of 2025, The Post reports.
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The takeaway.
A sharp population decline has experts warning that monarch butterflies could disappear from the U.S. for good. The changes have mostly been driven by environmental issues, including climate change, widespread loss of the insect’s primary food source due to extreme weather, and habitat destruction in Mexico. As a result, officials have proposed designating the species protection under the ESA to help reverse the decline.
“The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating lifecycle. Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance,” Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said in the agency’s press release. “Science shows that the monarch needs that chance, and this proposed listing invites and builds on unprecedented public participation in shaping monarch conservation efforts. Providing monarchs with enough milkweed and nectar plants, even in small areas, can help put them on the road to recovery. Working together, we can help make this extraordinary species a legacy for our children and generations to come.”
