- Humans are the primary cause of the decline of the monarch butterfly.
- The main factor in their decline is the loss of habitat due to deforestation for logging, agriculture, and urbanization.
- Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed plants to lay their eggs and feed their larvae.
>As a result, the destruction of milkweed plants has a devastating impact on monarch butterfly populations.
Pesticide Use
- Pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture can kill both adult butterflies and larvae, and can also contaminate milkweed plants, making them toxic to the butterflies.
Climate Change
- Climate change is also a major threat to monarch butterflies.
- Increasing temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns are disrupting their migration patterns and causing them to lose their breeding grounds.
Invasive Species
- The introduction of invasive plant species, such as the glossy buckthorn, can also affect the monarch butterfly population. These invasive plants can crowd out native milkweed plants, reducing the amount of habitat available for the butterflies.