Tag: butterflies

Climate change is leading to declines in hundreds of butterfly species across the American West, according to research in 11 states. Researchers found decreasing populations among both common and rare...

Some male butterflies seal their mate’s genitalia with a waxy substance to prevent future mating. But females can fight back, researchers say, evolving larger, more complex organs that are harder...

Butterfly researchers agree that the disappearance of milkweed in North America has harmed monarch butterflies. Monarchs rely on the plant as a host for their caterpillars. But while some scientists...

Milkweed covered in pesticide cocktails repels egg-laying monarchs and their larvae — but the extent of chemical use in some areas may leave the butterflies with no choice. “Their populations...

Migrating insects speed up their travel time by sailing on wind and warmth, according to recent research. This discovery helps us understand the ways that insects like dragonflies or butterflies,...

Mowing smarter may be the best strategy to improve monarch habitat along roadsides. “Monarchs are declining across their range, and particularly in the East,” said Samantha Knight, a program manager...

Can high-quality habitat be too much of a good thing? It might seem like having lots of resources for feeding and breeding would be an all-around benefit for wildlife, but...

Everyone has heard the saying “a picture’s worth a thousand words,” but what a picture does not provide is the backstory — details about the who, what, where, when and...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances, where transportation and energy partners around the country will work with the Service to address monarch butterfly...

It may seem like taking a weed wacker to perennial grasslands where monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) feed on their only food source, milkweed, is not the best idea. But researchers...