Natural History Wanderings

Monarch on Milkweed Image via Wikipedia

There has been a significant decline in the Monarch Butterfly population in the Midwestern United States. The use of genetically modified  crops and the use of herbicide on weeds has eradicated much of the milkweed. Milkweed is the plant that Monarch lay their eggs on and the food source for the Monarch larvae. While evidence is still preliminary one insect ecologist, Dr. Chip Taylor believes milkweed has disappeared from 100 million acres of row crops.

To learn more read the original paper by the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity:  Decline of monarch butterflies overwintering in Mexico: is the migratory phenomenon at risk?

or the NY Times article: In Midwest, Monarch Butterflies’ Flutters May Be Far Fewer – NYTimes.com.

Related articles

• Monarchs In Trouble Or Not (naturalhistorywanderings.com)