Latest news with #JorgeRickards
CBS News
20-04-2025
- CBS News
Monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles to Mexico. An inside look into the mystery migration.
After flying some 3,000 miles from the northern U.S. and Canada to a remote forest in Central Mexico for the winter, tens of millions of monarch butterflies are making their way back north. These are no ordinary monarchs . While most monarchs live about a month, these monarchs, a "super generation," can live up to nine times longer. It's believed monarch super generations have been making this epic migratory journey for thousands of years, but it's still something of a mystery how this super generation knows where to go. "That's one of the most magical things that could happen in the natural world," said Jorge Rickards, director of the nonprofit World Wildlife Fund in Mexico. Starting in late October, monarchs come to remote mountains in Michoacan, central Mexico. They roost in patches of fir and pine trees up to 11,000 feet up. This year, some 66 million monarchs spent their winter in the Mexican forest, but it can be hard to see them at first. Their orange wings are closed, so the clusters of butterflies look like clumps of dead leaves. There are so many of them that the tree branches sag. "Imagine the lightness of a butterfly. And there are so many of them here that they actually bend the trees," Rickards said. The monarchs are in a kind of hibernation. On the way to Mexico, they fatten up on nectar, which helps them survive and rest through the long winter months. The climate on the mountain is ideal. The canopy of trees protects the butterflies from storms, and though the air is cool, it's relatively humid, so they stay hydrated. Rickards says the butterflies are sensitive to sound and carbon dioxide, so visitors must whisper and talk as little as possible. Monarchs also litter the forest floor; they're not dead, they've just fallen from trees during the night, and their muscles are too cold for them to fly. "They are very, very vulnerable when they're on the floor," Rickards said. "And the birds know that. And the mice know that." Once warmed by the sun, they can open their wings and fly. As the day warms up, the sky is filled with flashes of orange as the butterflies take flight. There are so many flying around that visitors can hear the sound of their wings. Court Whelan has been taking tour groups to the area and photographing monarchs for more than 20 years. "It's like almost an optical illusion because everything is beating at this weird frequency," he said. "It's like the whole world is kind of pulsing." It's still something of a mystery how these monarchs manage to get to Mexico. Most only live about a month, spending their short lives eating and mating, and females lay eggs. Monarchs born west of the Rockies stay there and migrate shorter distances. It's the super generation, born in Canada and east of the Rockies in the northern United States, that flies to Mexico. With winter coming, the super generation butterflies sense the shorter days and changing temperatures and suppress a key reproductive hormone, a process called diapause, which helps them conserve their energy and live up to nine months. The journey to Mexico can take three months or longer. To help them find their way, monarchs have circadian clocks in their antennae and navigate using internal compasses that respond to the position of the sun and the Earth's magnetic field. Rickards said it's a big mystery why they come to the remote mountains of Mexico and have done so for thousands of years. "Maybe it's a prehistoric route. Maybe it was determined by geographical conditions in terms of topography. Maybe it had to do with climate," he said. Monarchs were discovered in central Mexico's mountains in 1975 and the Mexican government declared the area a federal reserve 11 years later. But for decades, illegal logging threatened the butterfly's roosting spots, which once covered as much as 45 acres. It's now down to four and a half. The population of monarch butterflies in Mexico has declined 70% in the last 30 years, according to World Wildlife Fund. The nonprofit conservation organization has spent years trying to combat the destruction of the monarchs' habitats by assessing the health of the forest, measuring the size of butterfly colonies and planting trees. The nonprofit also works with local communities and indigenous groups to protect the land and help them profit from tourism. There are also people working to help the monarchs on their migration home. After about four months in Mexico, the butterflies, nearing the end of their long life cycle, are finally ready to mate and migrate north to lay their eggs. They'll die before they can make it back to where they were born, and their offspring might not live long enough to get there either, but future generations will — and there's an army of people trying to help them. In Kansas, volunteers catch and tag monarchs so scientists can track their migration. They're recruited by Chip Taylor, an 87-year-old ecologist who's been fascinated by monarchs since he was a child. Taylor founded a nonprofit called Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas 30 years ago, and so far it's helped tag more than 2 million monarchs. "This is a rough butterfly and it has to go thousands of miles," he said. "It's a pretty tough butterfly." But that toughness is being tested. Monarchs returning to the U.S. need milkweed plants to lay their eggs on; it's the only source of food their newly born caterpillars will eat. But milkweed is now hard to find. It's been virtually eradicated on agricultural land because of genetically modified corn and soybean crops that allow for mass spraying of herbicides. Monarch Watch encourages people to plant milkweed in their gardens and on public land, creating what it calls "Monarch Waystations;" 50,000 waystations have been planted so far. It's estimated fewer than 20% of the monarchs that head out on this miraculous migration actually make it to the mountains of Michoacan. Scientists say worsening storms and rising temperatures kill off many, though this past year the number of monarchs that survived the trip nearly doubled, according to the World Wildlife Fund. It was particularly welcome news in Mexico, where the butterflies' arrival in late October coincides with a deeply spiritual celebration, the Day of the Dead. That's when many in Mexico believe the souls of family and friends who've died return to visit their loved ones, and so they believe that's why the butterflies are returning as well. "Maybe we are actually, you are reviving — you're helping someone's ancestor fly back," Rickards said. "Yes, indeed. So it's very magical."
USA Today
12-03-2025
- General
- USA Today
National Plant a Flower Day: Help pollinators like monarch butterflies with your garden
National Plant a Flower Day: Help pollinators like monarch butterflies with your garden Flowers don't just look pretty! They help pollinators like monarch butterflies thrive. Show Caption Hide Caption Time to change your mind about having carpenter bees in your garden Discover why carpenter bees, despite their bad rap, are essential pollinators and how to coexist peacefully with them in your garden. It's almost spring! And March 12 is National Plant a Flower Day, the perfect day to bask in the sunlight and plant flowers that will help pollinators like the monarch butterfly. The sun is out, the birds are chirping, temperatures are heating up and we just got an extra hour of sunlight after the start of Daylight saving time. So grab your pack of native wildflower seeds, a shovel and some dirt. It's time to make sure your garden is ready for pollinators this spring. Is it too early to start planting? Essential gardening tips no matter where you live Why should you plant flowers on National Plant a Flower Day? Some squeamish folks may not want to hear this, but native flowers and plants are essential for making sure local ecosystems and pollinators, like lovely butterflies or hardworking bees, are healthy. However, due to a multitude of reasons, like the use of pesticides, the world's pollinator populations are dwindling. One example of this is the monarch butterfly. The monarch butterfly's population crept down to the second-lowest number on record in 2024, according to an annual survey from the World Wildlife Fund, WWF. While the butterflies wintered in Mexico, the organization found that the eastern monarch butterfly colonies took up 2.2 acres of regional forests during the 2023-2024 winter season. That's 59% less than the 5.5 acres they occupied the year before. "Fewer monarchs hibernating in their traditional forest habitat in Mexico greatly concerns all of us," Jorge Rickards, general director of WWF Mexico, said in a statement. "This is not the first time we've observed changes in the locations of the largest monarch colonies." Population doubles in 2025 Fortunately, there have been improvements. A new report released on Thursday March 6 shows that in 2025 the butterfly's population nearly doubled. Its wintering population occupied 4.42 acres in Mexico's forests, according to WWF. Despite the progress, the monarch population isn't close to what it should be. "While monarchs occupied nearly twice as much forest habitat as last year, populations remain far below the long-term average," the foundation stated. How gardeners can identify false spring, protect their plants The initial burst of sunshine and warmer temperatures may be a welcome sight, but more often than not, it is a false dawn. When spring-like temperatures arrive earlier than usual, they are typically followed by wintery conditions, hence the term 'false spring.' unbranded - Lifestyle How to help monarch butterflies and other pollinators Everyone can take part in helping butterflies regain their population, and folks don't even need a backyard to do it. Just some dirt, seeds and a few pots. "Most of the country falls in the monarch migratory pattern range," Deborah Seiler, the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation's communications director, previously told USA TODAY. "It's a species where almost everyone has an opportunity to help." The Nature Conservancy says one of the best things folks can do to support pollinators, in general, is to create a pollinator garden. By starting one of these gardens with milkweed and native wildflowers, you essentially create a smorgasbord of delectable treats for any pollinator, like bees, hummingbirds and other butterflies, but especially the monarch butterflies. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet of nectar that will help support this delicate butterfly on their treacherous journey to and from Mexico's forests. Plant native wildflowers After all, it is National Plant a Flower Day. Monarch caterpillars are picky, but monarch butterflies- not so much. The website Xerces has a guide on what flowers should be planted and when they bloom based on each country's region. Having a well-rounded garden that constantly has blooms available for monarchs as they migrate is how one can make sure their garden is constantly providing nectar for the butterflies. For example, plants like scorpion's-tail and seaside goldenrod grow year-round in Florida. The seaside goldenrod can tolerate sandy soils and saltwater spray while also being an important nectar source for migrating monarchs. A plant like this is ideal for the state because it sees the monarchs year-round, while states in the Southeast region mentioned above only see the bugs from April to July and then from August to November. Contributing: Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@
The Guardian
11-03-2025
- Science
- The Guardian
Eastern monarch butterfly population doubles in a year
The population of eastern monarch butterflies – who migrate from Canada and the US to Mexico during the winter – has nearly doubled over the last year, according to a recent report commissioned in Mexico, generating optimism among nature preservationists. The modest growth in numbers for the orange-and-black butterflies follows years of ongoing conservation efforts – and perhaps provides a sliver of optimism after otherwise discouraging long-term trends for the species. Another recent study found that the butterfly population in the US specifically shrank by 22% over the last two decades. And this past December, the US Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protecting monarch butterflies as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in response to years of advocacy by conservation groups. A statement from Jorge Rickards, the director general of Mexico's World Wildlife Fund branch, acknowledged the need to convert the short-term gains into long-term ones for monarch butterflies to stop being considered endangered. 'It's now time to turn this year's increase into a lasting trend with an all-hands approach where governments, landowners, conservationists, and citizens continue to safeguard critical habitats along the monarch's North American migratory route,' the statement said. The statement said Rickards's organization recognized 'the key role of local communities, as well as the support of the government of Mexico, in … providing this iconic species with the opportunity to thrive'. The survey, titled Forest Area Occupied by Monarch Butterflies Colonies in Mexico During the 2024-2025 Hibernation Season, serves as a crucial indicator of the overall health of the butterfly population. It is part of a series of annual reports by WWF Mexico and Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas, in collaboration with local communities. The report found that monarchs that migrated to central Mexico's forests occupied 4.42 acres (1.78 hectares), which was up from 2.22 acres during the previous winter. Nonetheless, though these butterflies occupied nearly twice as much forest habitat compared with previous years, the number of monarchs remains far below the long-term average. Scientists say that better weather conditions in 2024 – which saw less severe droughts compared with previous years along the butterflies' migration route – probably contributed to the population growth. At the end of summer, eastern monarchs fly together from the northern US and southern Canada to high-elevation fir forests in Mexico. The population size is determined by measuring the area of trees turned a vibrant orange by the clusters of bright butterflies.
Voice of America
08-03-2025
- Science
- Voice of America
Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rebound this year
The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains west of Mexico City rebounded this year, doubling the area they covered in 2024 despite the stresses of climate change and habitat loss, experts said Thursday. The annual butterfly count doesn't calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover as they gather on tree branches in the mountain pine and fir forests. Monarchs from east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada overwinter there. Mexico's Commission for National Protected Areas (CONANP) said that this year, butterflies covered 1.79 hectares) compared to only 0.9 hectares the year before. Last year's figure represented a 59% drop from 2023, the second lowest level since record keeping began. After wintering in Mexico, the iconic butterflies with black and orange wings fly north, breeding multiple generations along the way for thousands of miles. The offspring that reach southern Canada begin the trip back to Mexico at the end of summer. Gloria Tavera Alonso, the Mexican agency's director general of conservation, said the improved numbers owed to better climatic factors and humidity. Drought along the butterflies' migratory route had been listed as a factor in last year's decline. The impact of changes in weather year after year mean fluctuations are expected. For that, Jorge Rickards, Mexico director general for the World Wildlife Fund, said "you can't let down your guard" and must continue to expand conservation efforts. Tavera Alonso credited ongoing efforts to increase the number of plants the butterflies rely on for sustenance and reproduction along their flyway. Butterflies have not been faring well north of the border. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has been counting western overwinter populations of monarch butterflies — a separate population from those that winter in central Mexico — along the California coast, northern Baja California and inland sites in California and Arizona for the last 28 years. The highest number recorded was 1.2 million in 1997. The organization announced in February that it counted just 9,119 monarchs in 2024, a decrease of 96% from 233,394 in 2023. The total was the second-lowest since the survey began in 1997. And the first countrywide systematic analysis of butterfly abundance in the United States found that the number of butterflies in the Lower 48 states has been falling on average 1.3% a year since the turn of the century, with 114 species showing significant declines and only nine increasing, according to a study in Thursday's journal Science. Experts say that monarchs face risks across North America in large part due to the reduction in milkweed where the monarchs lay their eggs. The plant has been disappearing due to drought, wildfires, herbicides and urbanization. In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that monarch butterflies receive protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico rebound this year
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The number of monarch butterflies wintering in the mountains west of Mexico City rebounded this year, doubling the area they covered in 2024 despite the stresses of climate change and habitat loss, experts said Thursday. The annual butterfly count doesn't calculate the individual number of butterflies, but rather the number of acres they cover as they gather on tree branches in the mountain pine and fir forests. Monarchs from east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada overwinter there. Mexico's Commission for National Protected Areas (CONANP) said that this year, butterflies covered 4.4 acres (1.79 hectares) compared to only 2.2 acres (0.9 hectares) the year before. Last year's figure represented a 59% drop from 2023, the second lowest level since record keeping began. After wintering in Mexico, the iconic butterflies with black and orange wings fly north, breeding multiple generations along the way for thousands of miles. The offspring that reach southern Canada begin the trip back to Mexico at the end of summer. Gloria Tavera Alonso, the Mexican agency's director general of conservation, said the improved numbers owed to better climatic factors and humidity. Drought along the butterflies' migratory route had been listed as a factor in last year's decline. The impact of changes in weather year after year mean fluctuations are expected. For that, Jorge Rickards, Mexico director general for the World Wildlife Fund, said 'you can't let down your guard' and must continue to expand conservation efforts. Tavera Alonso credited ongoing efforts to increase the number of plants the butterflies rely on for sustenance and reproduction along their flyway. Butterflies have not been faring well north of the border. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation has been counting western overwinter populations of monarch butterflies — a separate population from those that winter in central Mexico — along the California coast, northern Baja California and inland sites in California and Arizona for the last 28 years. The highest number recorded was 1.2 million in 1997. The organization announced in February that it counted just 9,119 monarchs in 2024, a decrease of 96% from 233,394 in 2023. The total was the second-lowest since the survey began in 1997. And the first countrywide systematic analysis of butterfly abundance in the United States found that the number of butterflies in the Lower 48 states has been falling on average 1.3% a year since the turn of the century, with 114 species showing significant declines and only nine increasing, according to a study in Thursday's journal Science. Experts say that monarchs face risks across North America in large part due to the reduction in milkweed where the monarchs lay their eggs. The plant has been disappearing due to drought, wildfires, herbicides and urbanization. In December, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed that monarch butterflies receive protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at Fabiola Sánchez, The Associated Press
