migration distance and reduce their habitat range, according to a study published in the journal Global Change Biology. The study predicts that, by 2040, monarchs will migrate 6% further than they currently do due to changing temperatures and precipitation patterns. However, the suitable habitat range for monarchs is expected to decline by 11% for summer breeding and 5.5% for over-wintering. This would reduce the amount of milkweed plants that the butterflies rely on for laying eggs, potentially threatening their survival. Monarch butterfly populations have already declined by 90% in the past 20 years due to habitat loss and climate change, among other factors.
