Danaus plexippus) in North America, as well as the possibility of its breeding range becoming inhospitable if global warming shall persist.
(Photo : Photo by Chris Chow on Unsplash)
Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) feeding on sedum flowers
The insect is known for its extraordinary migration from Mexico off north to their breeding grounds in the US, then south in the autumn to shelter against North American winters, and then fly north again in early March. So far, the reason why butterflies leave the relative warmth of Mexico and go back to the US has not been figured out.
From the looks of it, cold weather could be their decisive factor, which implies that monarch behavior could change profoundly over the coming decades if the globe warms persistently.