Hey there, butterfly enthusiasts! 🦋
It looks like our vibrant friends, the western monarch butterflies, are facing a bit of a challenge this year in California. Researchers have reported a 30% drop in their numbers during the overwintering season. 🌧️
Last year, around Thanksgiving, dedicated volunteers flocked to sites across California and Arizona. Armed with binoculars and lots of hope, they counted over 230,000 monarchs. Sounds like a lot, right? But that's a significant dip from the 330,000 butterflies tallied in 2022, according to the Xerces Society, a cool nonprofit that champions the tiny but mighty invertebrates. 🐛🌼
So, what's causing this fluttering decline? Researchers think the wetter weather might be to blame. While the rain is great for our parched lands, it seems the monarchs aren't too thrilled about getting their wings damp. ☔
But let's not lose hope! Just a few years ago, in 2020, the monarch population had plummeted to a shocking 2,000 butterflies—a record low. The fact that they've bounced back into the hundreds of thousands shows these little creatures are fighters. 🥊
Yet, compared to the millions that painted the skies in the 1980s, we've got some work to do. It's time for all of us to spread our wings and help these butterflies soar once more! 🌅
Stay tuned for more updates, and maybe plant some milkweed to give our monarch buddies a hand! 🌿🌺
Reference(s):
Western monarch butterflies overwintering in California drops by 30%: researchers
cgtn.com
