Science Daily says the Monarch butterfly population is way down again this year, and quotes a Texas A&M researcher citing a “disturbing trend” — a serious decline in butterfly numbers.
The Monarch butterfly and other types of butterflies migrate from Mexico to Texas about this time each year, and many generations of Texans have enjoyed the colorful arrival of the winged creatures.
It would suck to see the butterflies dwindle down to nothing. Experts cite the loss of millions of acres of natural habitat that once supported the ecosystem.
However, I was at a friend’s house over the weekend and saw one of his bushes covered in butterflies. Then, this morning, I noticed one of my Indian Hawthorne bushes covered in butterflies — there were literally a hundred of them.
I grabbed my camera and moved in close and many of them fluttered off, but some stayed behind and I got this photo. Butterflies aren’t my field of expertise but those look similar to a Monarch.
Those are Admirals, a more common butterfly. I have seen Monarchs swarm on bushes to keep warm on cool nights. They fly off in the morning when it warms up. It’s an amazing sight to se hundreds of them crammed together.
Jeff, keep in mind that Monarchs are a migratory butterfly whose flight path and numbers are quite different from our species who don’t migrate: the Admirals and others being reported in record numbers this spring.