Natural History Wanderings

The New York Times reports that the Monarch butterfly population in Mexico is the lowest it has been since 1993. Experts are concerned that the Monarch annual migration to the US and Canada could disappear. A study from the World Wildlife Fund, Mexico’s Environment Department and the Natural Protected Areas Commission says the probable causes are:

• the loss of milkweed, the butterflies’ larval and food plant, which is being displaced by genetically modified crops
• urban sprawl in the US
• significant reduction in Monarch Butterfly habitat in Mexico from illegal logging of trees Monarchs use for shelter

Read more at: Monarch Butterflies Drop, Migration May Disappear – NYTimes.com