Experts Expect Fewer Monarch Butterflies In South Texas

VICTORIA, Texas (AP) — Fewer monarch butterflies could be flying through Texas while migrating to Mexico due to the lingering drought and lack of food along the way.

The Victoria Advocate (http://bit.ly/HKOp2O ) reports some monarch butterflies have been spotted this week in South Texas making their journey from Canada.

Paul Meredith, a Victoria master naturalist and entomology specialist, said Monday that drought conditions since 2011 in Texas and farther north have affected butterfly numbers. He says monarch butterflies also feed on milkweed that may have been killed due to farming practices.

Meredith expects about 60 million monarchs to reach Mexico this year, about a fifth of the number that usually migrate.

A September monarch tagging event in Dubuque, Iowa, yielded no butterflies. Experts cited drought and flooding, plus tornadoes that disrupted migratory paths.

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Information from: The Victoria Advocate, http://www.victoriaadvocate.com

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