Monarch Butterflies Endangered: What Can be Done?

A video featuring Ian Kaplan, a professor of entomology at Purdue University, has been uploaded to the AP Video Hub.

In the video, Kaplan explains why monarch butterflies were recently designated as an endangered species, why they are important and what can be done to help them recover. This video can be found at https://bit.ly/3vhCns4.

Kaplan says the primary reason monarchs are endangered has to do with their food.

Monarch caterpillars eat only milkweed, a small group of plants that have declined in the Midwest over the last several decades. Kaplan says climate change, insecticides and parasites could also be contributing to the decline of the monarch butterfly population.

Replanting milkweed is one way Kaplan says will help the species recover, but he warns it will be difficult.

Kaplan says large amounts of milkweed that are untouched by harmful insecticides are needed to truly help monarchs. These butterflies are loved for their bright colors, are important pollinators and are used by scientists for insect research.