How do the rising

temperatures affect the

migration patterns of
Monarch butterflies?
by Junfeng Lin, Grade 11, North Carolina School of
Science and Mathematics - Climate Change Biology

Monarch Butterflies, a beautiful, and one of the most recognizable butterflies on

the planet Earth. Monarch butterflies have orange wings laced with black lines and

bordered with white dots. They are famous for their seasonal migration. Each fall,

the monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles from as far as Canada and the

United States south to California and Mexico for the winter.

The Monarch butterfly once was a common sight in nature but now become an

endangered species. The Monarch butterfly once was a common sight in nature

but now become an endangered species.

 In this research paper, I will

elucidate the consequences of

human activities contributing to

climate change and the

subsequent rise in temperature,

specifically examining their

impact on the migration patterns

of Monarch butterflies.

In this research, I used materials such as scientific journals and articles,

publications, climate data and reports, and scientific databases to conduct research

on the impact of rising temperatures on Monarch butterflies' migration patterns.

First, I will talk about the background of climate change. Climate Change has been

a huge concern since the Industrial Revolution, Human activities have been the

main driver of climate change from the release of carbon dioxide and greenhouse

gases into the atmosphere. Natural causes such as changes earth’s reflectivity,

variations in solar activity, and volcanic activities also change the earth’s climate

but they do not explain the warming that happened over the course of the century.
Human and natural factors both influence the earth’s climate, but the long-term

trend observed over the past century can only be explained by the effect of human

activities on climate. Source: U.S. Global Change Research Program, Fourth

National Climate Assessment, Chapter 2: Our Changing Climate, 2017.

Monarch butterflies are highly sensitive to temperature changes, which can disrupt

their migration patterns as they rely on temperature cues to time their movements.

The alterations in temperature caused by climate change are anticipated to

profoundly impact the butterfly's entire life cycle. Monarchs use exposure to cold

temperatures at their wintering sites to signal the shift in migration direction from

southward to northward. This indicates that warmer temperatures at these sites

could potentially alter or even prevent the butterflies' return trip northward in

spring. Studies have revealed that temperatures also affect the butterflies'

hibernation period. Cold temperatures in the forest are crucial for the butterflies as

they allow for a less demanding metabolic state. However, the rising temperatures

pose a threat to the monarch butterflies' survival by potentially disrupting this

hibernation process.

The effect of higher temperatures due to climate change also impacts the growth

and quality of milkweeds, milkweeds are essential for the Monarch caterpillar’s
survival. Due to climate change scientists predict that the milkweed population will

need to be shifted polewards in order to grow. The concern of whether the

Monarch Butterflies could adapt to this change due to human activities impacting

climate change is a question in the future.

It is now thought that if the distance from milkweed increases from the hibernation

and breeding area then the monarch butterflies’ reproductive activity will decline.

This rings a bell to the environment because it would mean that monarch

butterflies need to migrate longer distances and reduce the time at the breeding

area. The decline in monarch butterflies population could lead to severe impacts on

the health of pollinator populations which impacts the human food system since

everything is connected in the world. One action could lead to huge consequences

in the future.
Chart by Tierra Curry. Image is available for media use.

"In conclusion, climate change is impacting the migration patterns of monarch

butterflies due to their sensitivity to temperatures. Monarch butterflies hold

significant importance as a species on Earth. They serve as crucial pollinators, and

their potential extinction could disrupt the pollination of various plant species,

leading to reduced plant diversity in ecosystems. The interconnectedness between

these butterflies and plants in the food chain could result in decreased food

availability.

As humans, it's imperative that we implement plans to prevent the extinction of

monarch butterflies. This includes restoring the habitat of milkweed plants,

 preserving overwintering sites in

Mexico and California, and

conducting further research on

monarch butterfly behavior as well

as restrictions on human activities on

the earth. These efforts will aid in

preventing population declines and

developing additional strategies to

safeguard these beautiful creatures

from extinction.

References
“Causes of Climate Change | US EPA.” US EPA, 25 Apr. 2023,

www.epa.gov/climatechange-science/causes-climate-change.

Center for Biological Diversity.

www.biologicaldiversity.org/resourcespace/pages/view.php?ref=13372&k=1

c22a1353f.

CMS | Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals.

www.cms.int.
“How Climate Change Affects the Monarch Butterfly, and What We Can Do About

It.” Environmental Defense Fund, 26 May 2016,

www.edf.org/blog/2016/05/26/how-climate-change-affects-monarch-butterfl

y-and-what-we-can-do-about-it.

“Monarch Butterflies and Climate Change | Pages | WWF.” World Wildlife Fund,

www.worldwildlife.org/pages/monarch-butterflies-and-climate-change.

Monarch Butterfly.

www.biologicaldiversity.org/species/invertebrates/monarch_butterfly/monar

ch-population-2020.html.