New study on migration success reinforces need for monarch butterfly milkweed habitat

The well-known migratory pattern of Monarch butterflies is a spectacle of beauty, but there population has been on a decline in recent years. A new study has shown that despite lower overall numbers, the Monarch’s migratory success has not fluttered. Therefore, their population decline may be due to the destruction of the milkweed in agricultural habitats. Monarchs thrive on these plants, and due to over-farming and lack of biodiversity, the milkweed is declining, and so is the population of our favorite butterflies.

Key Takeaways:

For the research, 1.4 million monarch butterflies were tagged from 1998 to 2015.
The loss of milkweed habitat in the Midwest due to herbicide use caused the butterfly decline.
Milkweed is the only plant on which monarch butterflies lay their eggs.

“The study presents evidence that the migration success of monarchs hasn’t declined and thus cannot explain the steep decline in the monarch population over the last few decades.”