Monarch butterflies in Northern California are adapting to a changing climate by embracing an unexpected strategy: breeding in the winter.
Monarch butterflies in Northern California are adapting to a changing climate by embracing an unexpected strategy: breeding in the winter. The shift could be key to the survival of the iconic insect, according to a new study published in the Journal of the Lepidopterists’ Society.
The research, led by David James, an associate professor of entomology at Washington State University, revealed that monarch pupae that developed at an urban site in the San Francisco Bay Area during the winter of 2021/2022 had a survival rate of around 50%. This finding builds on a previous study that first documented winter breeding by monarchs in the region during the winter of 2020/2021, likely driven by climate warming.
“We are witnessing monarchs evolving and adapting to new environmental circumstances,” said James. “We can learn a lot from what they are doing, and this will inform our strategies for providing the resources they need to be successful.”
Read more at Washington State University
Photo Credit: gyulche1 via Pixabay
