Monarch butterflies contribute greatly to ecosystems in the US, Mexico, and Canada. These past two years, this species has gone through one hell of a roller coaster.
At the end of every summer, these pollinators travel from southern Canada to northern U.S. to Mexico. By the time they are in Mexico, it is winter. In the early spring, they start their migration back up north, traveling back to the US and Canada where they lay their eggs, and this process repeats itself come the end of summer.
According to The Guardian, there were mass monarch butterfly deaths these past few decades, especially in 2024. The Guardian says, “as much as 90% of the monarch butterfly population in some US regions has been wiped out in recent decades.” As they are pollinators, this is significant to the ecosystem in North America. They support the health of wildflowers and even some crops.
Ecologists say this is due to the degradation of forest health from drought and pesticides. The World’s Wildlife Fund states one of the main causes of forest degradation in Mexico was “natural causes, primarily drought (2.47 acres).” Forest health is important to the wellness of monarch butterflies because they give them protection from the cold and wintering grounds.
The Guardian states that it was evident neurotoxic pesticides were a cause because the dead butterflies were found twitching, “which are common signs of neurotoxic pesticide poisoning.”
Though this information is devastating, hope should not be lost, as the butterfly population has nearly doubled since the mass deaths, according to the WWF. The WWF states, “The population wintering in central Mexico’s forests occupied 4.42 acres, up from 2.22.” This increase in acres of forest occupied is a tell-tale sign of an increase in the number of butterflies!
This can be due to the less severe drought and better weather conditions since 2024, which translated to improved forest conditions. The WWF says, “Scientists attribute much of this year’s population growth to better weather conditions in 2024—with less severe drought than in previous years—along the butterflies’ migration route from the United States and Canada to Mexico.” Dr. Collin Edwards, and ecologists, agrees with this, and states, “It looks like the butterflies that are in dry and warm areas are doing particularly poorly [compared to less dry areas].”
People at Wayne Hills have noticed the come-back of these butterflies. Junior Chloe Houston says, “this year, compared to last year, I feel like I’ve seen more butterflies.”
The world is happy to see these colorful butterflies brighten its day as they flow through the air, and scientists across the Americas hope to see an improvement in their livelihood over the next few decades.
