Save the Monarchs
Unfortunately, the monarch populations appear to be in a state of decline. Why?
1. OE disease caused from the over eating of tropical milkweed in Florida
2. The rapid rise of crops engineered to withstand herbicides. It turns out that monarchs tend to lay more eggs milkweeds that sprout up in and around cultivated fields. So when farmers snuff out the milkweeds with Roundup, they're exerting a disproportionate effect on monarchs.
3. Habitat loss in Mexico
Milkweed, the Monarchs' only Food Source
Milkweed has undergone a massive decline and suffered from substantial habitat reduction in the central U.S. The loss of milkweed has occurred as a result of two changes in agricultural practices:
1) Widespread adoption of genetically modified, her- bicide-tolerant corn and soybeans—often referred to as “Roundup-ready” crops—and use of the herbicide glypho- sate on these crops
2) Placing more than 10 million additional hectares (25 million acres) into production of mostly herbicide-tolerant corn since 2007 causing a 81% decline in milkweeds in agricultural lands. .
Scientists argue that the loss of milkweed from agricultural areas is a major contributor to the monarch population decline observed at overwintering sites. Additional threats to milkweed habitat include excessive road-side mowing, development, reforestation (at least in the eastern U.S.), and insecticide for mosquito control.
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