Butterfly Effect: Can Monarchs Avoid Extinction?

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Why are monarch butterflies disappearing? You may know them for their amazing transcontinental migration, but over the past few decades, monarch butterflies have been part of a vanishing act that has scientists worried. Conservation biologists Ashley Fisher and Isis Howard show us what it takes to track monarch butterfly populations at one of their favorite overwintering spots.
Join our host and museum curator Jessica Ware, Ph.D. for a close look at this iconic insect, its incredible lifecycle, and its multigenerational migration. Then, follow scientists who are working at a monarch butterfly roosting site in the western U.S. to figure out what’s behind the monarch butterfly population plunge. The series is produced for PBS by the American Museum of Natural History.
#Butterflies #MonarchButterfly #Migration #InsectScience
Image: Frank Cone
Original Production Funding Provided by National Science Foundation - Grant No. 2120006
Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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[@OutdoorLonghair]

Blame DuPont for RoundUp. They convinced the farmers to use it everywhere. Now they're getting all the highway departments to use it too. It's very very hard to find any wildflowers in agricultural areas. We're starving them, and not just monarchs.😢

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

need to plant more milkweed plants

[@venenodelalengua]

is this what happened to the lightning bugs??

[@OutdoorLonghair]

@@MissyMuthaTruckiN I'm working on that but it is hard to find a place for them to grow where they are not destroyed.

[@OutdoorLonghair]

@@venenodelalengua Yes, and a very big part is pesticide and herbicide used on residential lawns also.

[@neosapienz7885]

Pesticides and herbicides must be regulated more. People should not have ready access to such strong chemicals. I’m not a fan of aggressive limits on people’s choices, but when it comes to the environment, we must do better.

[@venenodelalengua]

my 3rd grade class had two "pet" monarchs. The teacher found a few caterpillars outside, put them in a little habitat that was regularly stocked with fresh milkweed from where they were found, and we watched them grow into the chrysalis stage. Two butterflies, a male and a female emerged, and we all submitted names to then vote on. The kids ended up choosing my submission for both sexes separately - Superman and Wonder Woman, lol. Once they finished priming their wings, we released them outside behind the school. One landed on my shoulder before departure. That was 25 years ago, and a beautiful experience that I wish today's children could have. To see such a fragile little thing of beauty fly into the sky and know it was probably going to fly to Mexico...all the way from New Jersey.

[@DanielaMedina-jg2kk]

what a beautiful memory you have! I remember seeing so many butterflies and ladybugs in the house I grew up in my country. I can't remember the last time a saw a butterfly but it was a while ago

[@venenodelalengua]

@@DanielaMedina-jg2kk a lot of millennials have made tiktoks/IG reels about the disappearance of fireflies/lightning bugs, once omnipresent in our childhood and teen years. We all remember seeing them flashing in droves during summer nights - but I've probably seen a handful in the past 10 years combined. Where did they go?

[@neosapienz7885]

@@venenodelalengualight pollution interrupts their mating cycle. They can’t compete with the artificial lights we have along our streets and in our backyards.

[@herropreasesankyou]

I'm sorry, you said only TWO THOUSAND were left?! They were that close to extinction? Crazy

[@ktk1338]

I heard that too. Its gotta be a mistake!

[@dcyphyr]

This is the sixth great extinction - Caused by us, and soon to be experienced by us.

[@JoseMartinez-df2db]

It broke my heart. Monarch butterflies are heavily woven into Native / Mexican culture. We need to protect them. Plant milkweed.

[@confidentstreetlamp1762]

So far this year the count is at 233,394 for the overwintering sites which is a significant decrease from last year which was about 300,000. (Please correct me if I got any of these numbers wrong)

[@TyraSaysTuMadre]

I wonder if artificial light has any to do with it! Studies came out that artificial lights confuse a bunch of flying insects instincts, a large number being the ones we need of the pollinating variety. That’s why so many fly around the light’s forever and potentially die

[@roguesample]

Seeing a swarm of monarchs is one of the most magical experiences. I had the pleasure of witnessing a migration starting when I was a kid in Michigan - absolutely a core memory

[@norikadolmy7274]

I live in Southern ontario and recently started planting milkweed and goldenrod in our backyard to help native birds and bugs, hoping more people will start doing the same

[@DomCOuano]

shoutout to the butterflies who have to lift heavy and fly with antennas in the name of research. many more butterflies will be born and will fly free thanks to you. your efforts and contributions will not be forgotten

[@Anarchy4Angels]

I once saw a Monarch butterfly in the Canary Islands. They've likely been blown over on Atlantic storms but there's a breading population now!

[@farstrider79]

More likely they were introduced intentionally. There would need to be enough intro to create a sustainable gene pool.

[@ronkirk5099]

If you ever get the opportunity to be up near Pismo Beach, CA in the winter, don't pass up the chance to visit the Monarch Grove. The Eucalyptus trees are absolutely covered with butterflies. It is an amazing sight and the way things are going, you may never get another chance in the future.

[@justinciallella4724]

Here in Virginia we have common milkweed, which spreads underground, and can provide a lot of habitat quickly. Swamp milkweed is good for wet areas, but also can be grown in places other than swamps. Butterfly milkweed is well behaved and shorter in stature than both of the other two species. These are the three most common species I see here in the mountains of Virginia.

[@GGoAwayy]

I remember in kindergarten we had a bunch of caterpillars in boxes in the back of the classroom and then we took them outside when they all emerged from their cocoons and the school yard was filled with monarch butterflies.

[@fdavidmiller2]

I had the good fortune of having a monarch butterfly hatch out a chrysalis in my tomato garden. I even got to watch the hatching live. Absolutely amazing creatures.

[@mikestaihr5183]

Last year was the first year I had seen Monarchs in our area in years... sadly there were only about 3 or 4 seen around my house.

[@joec.9591]

I live in WA State, and have always enjoyed seeing the Monarchs every summer. I saw ONE last year. It's incredibly sad.

[@mattmccallum2007]

Western WA or Eastern WA?

[@joec.9591]

@@mattmccallum2007 Western Washington. Puget Sound area.

[@mattmccallum2007]

@@joec.9591 interesting, are you 100% sure you’ve seen Monarchs? We also have Western Tiger Swallowtails which are large and yellow and have a passing resemblance to monarchs.

[@joec.9591]

@@mattmccallum2007 Good point! As it turns out, I only saw one Swallowtail last summer, too. I'm certain the one was a Monarch. It had the right wing shape and the white spots on the wing were a dead giveaway. I saw lots of them as a child, but they have virtually disappeared these days. Also once plentiful and now rarely seen are Cabbage Whites. I haven't seen those in a couple of years. And dragonflies. I live by a lake and I am used to seeing lots of them. I saw none last year. Also disappearing are the once plentiful small green katydids. The numbers dwindle each year. It's all very sad.

[@tedbomba6631]

Here in Pennsylvania there are thousands of miles of roads that are clipped, mowed and chemically treated to look like manicured lawns. In earlier years these areas and medians were filled with native flowering plants, especially the species of milkweed that Monarch caterpillars preferred and where adult Monarchs layed their eggs. There is no reason why huge areas can't be planted with milkweed and other native plants using the money that is now being spent on mowing etc. Taking this cost effective step would have a major impact in helping the Monarch population to grow significantly while saving the taxpayers significant amounts of money as well. If other states would do the same, Monarch numbers would explode in a few short years.

[@onetwocue]

I'm in iowa and I always feel bad for all the butterflies that get hit by cars and trucks on the highway

[@prettypic444]

The big monarch migration hit while I was at CSUDH. The campus was completely covered with traveling monarchs and some professors even let us leave class to see them at the daily height!

[@IndriidaeNT]

This video is awesome! I visited the Butterfly Vivarium at the AMNH with my family at the Glider Center in April 2023 and Summer 2023 and it was awesome! It had all my favorite butterfly species from the monarch butterflies, tiger swallowtail butterflies and painted lady butterflies of North America to the blue morpho butterflies, Queen Alexandaria’s birdwing butterflies and postman butterflies of South America. I also loved the live chrysalises/pupas it kept too for the butterflies to emerge from. But I wish it had live caterpillars/larvae for all the butterfly species from the vivarium as well, including the ones I just mentioned eating their host plants (Including milkweed and parsley and thistle plants for monarch, swallowtail and painted lady caterpillars and before becoming chrysalises to become the adults. The downstairs Insect Lab does have some silkworms however eating mulberry leaves before some of them changed into pupas and became silk cocoons which will be moved to the tent where the atlas moths live in the Butterfly Vivarium where the domestic silk moths will emerge from their cocoons and live there too.

[@robertnewman4072]

I live in central Fl,I planted neem trees about 5 years ago,this spring the monarchs are going crazy over them,more than I have seen here in years

[@pokechatter]

I remember participating in the eastern butterfly count in my area once 20 some years ago.

[@karlgoebeler1500]

As kids we hiked up this gravel pile, (laid down during the Last Ice Age) in the middle of the Susquehanna Valley back in the 60"s. Otego NY. There was a migration of Monarch butterflies heading south. Regular "river or carpet" that skimmed the peak of that gravel pile. Stretched for miles. Me and my brothers along with some cousins were in the middle of a "Blizzard" of them for the next say half hour. From time to time would see them still head both North and South.

[@sammerjay8128]

Thank you for exploring this situation. Milk weed is so important to them and millions of cities around our nation destroy Milk Weed in the name of landscaping and beautification. We’ve know about this issue for at least 10 years, probably a lot longer. Bees are also dying because the Roundup people spray all over twice a year, and city / children’s parks are doused with it all the time.

[@an.opossum]

7:00 the butterflies are clustering around non-native, likely invasive, Eucalyptus species. CAL-IPC ought to take a look at those.

[@RS8XB]

when we see monarch butterflies in our backyard we get excited, it's so rare even with our huge backyard another great video, no nose rings

[@DanielaMedina-jg2kk]

Is there anything special that people has to think about when planting milkweed plants other than not using pesticides? I mean, to have a habitat that really helps the butterflies should I have many many of them or just a couple is enough? I have a very small space where I can plant flowers and milkweed can grow big

[@mattmccallum2007]

If you can't plant milkweeds because they spread, just plant some asters for the adults to feed on.

[@camp44mag]

It's fine to try one or two plants if you only have a small space. You may wind up helping a few monarchs. With more space, the more plants the better, for monarchs and many other insects that use the milkweed. If you only have a few milkweed plants, sometimes they can be over-eaten by only one or two caterpillars. Common milkweed will grow in full sun, but does better in part shade which also provides a bit of wind protection, as the plants may get blown down by high winds. Milkweed can be quite robust and tough, but If conditions are dry, watering a little (especially when the plants are younger) goes a long way to healthier plants and flowers/pod production - - if you water them, water around the base at the ground to avoid knocking tiny caterpillars off their leaf, or use a fine mist if the leaves are in need of rinsing from dirt/sand/wldfire smoke particulates. If you plant using seed, the seed should be directly on the soil, and placed before winter so it overwinters and the plants will emerge by mid-springtime. You may be able to get native varieties inexpensively from your county extension office. Note that monarchs need milkweed, but milkweeds don't need monarchs. You can search for milkweed growing tips to read/browse, or even watch videos. They are fascinating plants, and the flowers smell amazing. With enough plants around, you may smell the flower's fragrance in the wind, similarly as you may catch fragrance from lilacs. Good luck, and if you don't see a caterpillar or adults the first year don't give up!

[@pbsterra]

Hi, great question, we passed it to Ashley from Xerces who said said this: "Avoiding pesticides is a great start! I would also recommend planting a species native to your area. Xerces has regional Milkweed guides here: www.xerces.org/milkweed/milkweed-guides that can be helpful. We also have a Milkweed FAQ page that should answer plenty of other questions you may have along your planting journey: www.xerces.org/milkweed-faq "

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

Used to see a lot in 1990s barely see them anymore 😢 🦋

[@4-kathryn]

Glad I watched this video, My family plans on visiting a local plant warehouse tomorrow; I'll ask the employee if they carry any Milk Weed plants.

[@degagnemarc]

Pesticides... Have you look at the milkweed population? In Canada the milkweed is now only found mostly in areas around large culture like corn and soya. These two culture uses herbicides and neoconioïde a lot. Some farmers now even clear this small band of nature with herbicide to cultivate that extra 2 ft around the fields. Some along roads where after the butterfly emerges get kill by cars or the area gets mowed. It's not a few plants here and there in the gardens that will change much the current decline. We need to have more wild areas untouched where milkweed is present and less pesticides. All the insects are in decline everywhere and most of it is probably related to the usage of neoconioïdes. I live in a large forested neighborhood on a mountain surrounded by fields of corn and soya and I have look at the decline of insects in the last two decades.

[@knyghtryder3599]

No it is the pesticides, period , it poisons there drinking water and persists in soils for generations

[@brianedwards7142]

They are naturalised in Australia. We call them Wanderer Butterflies. The theory is that sometime before 1900 they were blown across from South America and were able to thrive. It's possible that previous arrivals had not been able to thrive because introduced food plants had not reached sufficient numbers. I saw one yesterday or today in the yard, it's so NOT a big thing that I can't remember which. I don't know if speciation has started to happen.

[@Raja-bz4yw]

I used to see a lot of butterflies growing up in the 90s and 2000s. Now In the 2020s I haven't seen one butterfly. It's crazy. Once winter ends I've been thinking about planting some milkweed outside in a pot to see them again.

[@Martina_E]

Monarch are my favorite butterfly

[@user-vd3lv9fw3c]

Did a whole presentation in speech class in 2015. Amazing how many we have in Ohio. Two summers I have tracked them around my area. ❤️

[@knyghtryder3599]

The most crucial factor for monarch survival is water , they flock to wet fields like the edges of watered irrigated farms , but that water is toxic because of pesticides ........ They wont swoop down in most watering dishes because they are too small to attract them, farms need to be regulated and wildlife protected, because we can't exist without esrths biological processes, period

[@williedowdy6830]

If you live in or are close by to Cleveland Ohio, you can catch the starts of this migration as they rest for the night at Whiskey island in downtown Cleveland

[@Pottery4Life]

Thank you.

[@chinookvalley]

Our skies here in southern Colorado used to turn orange with Monarchs. Unfortunately the Dept of AG sprays the sides of the roads with RoundUp killing all of their food. The spray drifts for miles over fields and forests killing all of the foods our bugs, bees, and birds rely on, leaving these poor creatures to fall out of the air crashing to their deaths. It's been sad to see. I've been protesting to deaf ears for decades. What have we done and how can we recover? Not seen them in years.

[@garyge3204]

They put in so much money into this one Lepidoptera species while virtually ignoring a number of others that are actually threatened. (Monarchs have big populations almost globally, they are never going to be extinct…..)

[@joseenoel8093]

I'm a chick forest technician from Montreal, re-wilding my lawn had neighbours and the city on my back, now they're begging us to plant milkweed, what's wrong with us?

[@future_me_6067]

We used to see Monarch migrations in Nevada. Long lines of them following the same path.

[@trinathebookworm8977]

I live in Utah, I remember as a kid the clouds of Monarchs flying around. Just hundreds of butterflies flying around. I haven't seen that for years.

[@sufthegoat]

2000 is wild

[@jeanmichel4630]

J’en voyais plusieurs chaque été quand j’étais gamin. Maintenant je suis chanceux quand j’en voie un ou deux par été. Alor c’est décidé, dès cet ete je plante de l’asclépiade sur mon terrain 🦋

[@williamlouie569]

Monarch has a major weakness! It only breeds in one location. The destruction of that location meant extinction!

[@bahamatodd]

I wonder if the sudden changes during 2020 (minimal transportation etc) were a factor for the low numbers?

[@karlgoebeler1500]

Saw some floaters just a couple of years ago.

[@Dreamville12-pb5sg]

I honestly don’t remember the last time I saw one…. That’s sad

[@jeffgerndt2813]

Chemicals, poison , in fields .

[@stevenfulton2968]

Do any if the programs fracture the land. Much in the way that countries like Ireland and Scotland sell 1 Sqft of land to thousands so that it would be nearly impossible for a developer to reach all owners and purchase the land for money making schemes. Land fracturing just seems like a more permanent method of keeping land preserved than government or private protections.

[@skpjoecoursegold366]

Pismo..................one of my favorite places.

[@graffic13]

Uh crazy to think the monarchs in my yard in 2020 were out of 2000?!?!

[@timothyhammer6154]

Gotta get pesticides out of our cropping systems and stop habitat destruction.

[@ElSerenityGarden]

Hi everyone! I live in Los Angeles Ca 90032 and I raised over 50 monarchs in 2023. New pollinator garden underway right now in preparation for the 2024 migration 🎉 🐛 🐛🐛🐛

[@purplecouch4767]

🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋 🦋

[@sugarfrosted2005]

Is that first song an instrumental cover of a moody blues song?

[@cxa24]

In this instance, no.

[@DvLnDsGyZ]

I'm about to let my milkweeds grow all over now. That being said, Pixar is missing it's chance to make another great movie.

[@jojohill27]

You can eat milkweed like spinach actually it's not bad

[@ryanbeyer09]

I thoughts I've been seeing less and less sense I was a kid.

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

😢

[@BakedandCooked]

Can monarchs avoid extinction? Is it their burden?...

[@OolaHula]

Magnetosphere is weakening effecting all animals and insects that rely on the magnetic field for navigation. Literally everything that uses the Earth's magnetosphere is having issues with migration.

[@sandrashevel2137]

We have lots of Monarch here in Ohio again.

[@MissyMuthaTruckiN]

good! i saw one 2 years ago in PA mtns, have yet to see a lot back in Southern OH near cinci, i'll keep an eye out in the wildflower areas 💗🦋

[@sandrashevel2137]

@@MissyMuthaTruckiN yes. If you plant milkweed it helps too. Butterflies are beautiful and magical

[@davidmyers4056]

We must not forget this is not a natural problem. This is caused by chmical Round up/Resolve used by farmers and gardeners. Thank Monsanto and Du pont.

[@user-vd3lv9fw3c]

Track them in Ohio and eastern pathways!

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

Have the Mexican Monarchs also fallen in number?❤️🤗🐝

[@tweedledee9573]

There’s no mystery here. It’s people. The reason every animal in the natural world is dying off is because of us. Save your money. Human beings are the reason.

[@Tom-sj3vn]

Why don’t people focus and gather to address the issue of Swedes disappearing in their own country, scheduled to become a minority and essentially no longer exist in the next 50 years? Why can’t we keep the same energy for the human like we do the butterfly?

[@infinitemonkey917]

The problem of being a specialist. Generalists are better at resisting extinction.

[@farstrider79]

.......ok.

[@infinitemonkey917]

@@farstrider79 I'm just saying that being entirely dependent on 1 plant species for your survival is precarious.

[@chitinskin9860]

@@infinitemonkey917 Good thing they aren't dependent on 1 plant species, milkweed (asclepias) is a genus. The term "milkweed" is also used to refer to various other, latex producing members of the milkweed subfamily (asclepiadoideae), most of which are also on the monarch butterfly menu. The plants are pretty diverse, and prone to being weedy, so specialists of them have options.

[@infinitemonkey917]

@@chitinskin9860 Good point. I would still consider the caterpillars as specialists though.

[@chitinskin9860]

@@infinitemonkey917 Didn't say they weren't... or I didn't mean to, when I said "monarch butterfly", I was referring to the whole species, not just the imago. The adult is a generalist, as most nectarivorous lepidopterans are, but the caterpillars specialize in every member of the aforementioned milkweed subfamily. They are still specialists, they just aren't only eating one species of plant, that would be overspecialization.

[@MesonoxianMethuselah]

What do you mean that there's no scientific distinction between butterflies and moths based on genetics? Last time I checked, butterflies are a true monophyletic clade within Lepidoptera. Yes, "moths" are not a monophyletic clade separate from "butterflies," in that the monophyletic clade of butterflies is embedded within the larger clade of Lepidoptera. But that doesn't mean that there isn't a phylogenetic distinction, or that butterflies do not form their own monophyletic clade. Forgive me for questioning the expertise of Dr. Jessica Ware, but I've never heard of a contemporary biologist who disagrees with the idea of drawing distinctions between groups of organisms based on phylogenetic monophyly. The entirety of the field of evolutionary biology, including contemporary systematics and phylogenetics, is based on monophyletic classifications. Preferring a phenetic perspective over a phylogenetic perspective might have impressed Linnaeus, but it's not impressing me.

[@realdreamerschangetheworld7470]

😮

[@chitinskin9860]

I highly doubt that they were using outdated classification methods. Considering the traits they mentioned, it appears that they were trying to say that butterflies are just a type of moth, as they have all of their basic traits, and nothing that makes them distinct enough to not be considered moths, which is true with respect to their genetics, and actually supports their monophyletic classification. "Moths" are wholly a paraphyletic group so the distinction between them and butterflies is about as relevant as the distinction between every other moth and plume moths (bottom line, they're all moths). Perhaps it just came off as weird because the language they are using is less clinical for the sake of viewers.

[@MesonoxianMethuselah]

@@chitinskin9860 You say "less clinical," I say "less correct." If you're fine with communicative laziness from a PhD scientist and an organization that prides itself on accurate scientific education, that's on you.

[@chitinskin9860]

@@MesonoxianMethuselah Who took a dump on your breakfast? I'm not fine with it, I'm just translating it for you, considering that you decided to rant over something that you severely misinterpreted. There's plenty wrong with that statement, they should have mentioned paraphyletic classification, talked about their exact positioning within lepidoptera, or at the very least show a cladogram like they did in that ant video. But I'm not replying to them, I'm responding to you, who for some reason thought that statement was talking about an outdated classification system that no self respecting scientist uses, instead of pointing out the exact opposite in a subpar manner. But sorry for trying to help.

[@TheDanEdwards]

​@@MesonoxianMethuselah Get a grip. The masses of people who watch these videos do not care about cladistics. In is an unavoidable problem in any technical discipline, that when one has to communicate outside of one's own discipline one must over-simplify.

[@jnzkngs]

Just imagine if we stopped paying people to fight with other paid legal and legislative fighters to try and force other people to do things they don't want to do with their own land, and pooled our money to buy our own land and manage it how we see fit. But then the paid fighters wouldn't be making money or have an excuse to rub elbows with political power.

[@Angry84YouTube]

I doubt that number of 2000. Feel like it was just a mislocation or something that messed the study.

[@MySmileStillStaysOn]

They were talking about within a certain area

[@fleachamberlain1905]

We now know they don't turn into "soup" in a chrysalis.

[@abishekmurali9187]

Ask Rasmus Munk (Michelin star chef)...he breeds and flash freezes them to serve as an Entrée at his restaurant.

[@zavatone]

Why are you using a useless and very clickbaity arrow in your thumbnail? We're not idiots. We can tell that the butterfly in the image is what the text is referring to. Please stop using these useless and actually insulting clickbait techniques in your thumbnails.

[@richardjohnson8009]

Do we have a weapon that can destroy these yet?

[@mascadadelpantion8018]

If you are in the wrong place. In Mexico, those monarch butterflies very quickly. Stop being beautiful and majestic and and be got damn annoying

[@felipamataortiz]

0:45American is a person from America, America is a continent, if you don’t know geography you might not know zoology neither…👎

[@mpwest929]

Oh boy, “American” is just a colloquial term for “someone from United States. Most of the world is familiar with that usage.

[@mpwest929]

Them using colloquialism has no bearing on their zoological knowledge.

[@mattmccallum2007]

So the west coast monarchs love to overwinter in Eucalyptus?

[@blazeoff3862]

They are beautiful but not that pleasant to see clump together, it scares me and reminded me that they can "eat" dead animals.

[@sugarfrosted2005]

I mean unless you're dead you have nothing to fear. ;p

[@deborahdanhauer8525]

I thought they only ate plants… but even if they do eat dead animals, so do we. So we can’t be mad at them for doing what we do can we?❤️🤗🐝

[@the_ghostdragon]

@@deborahdanhauer8525 They do as caterpillars. As butterflies, they drink fluids to obtain the nutrients they need. This can be from water, nectar, sweat, tears, and... even blood.

[@hollymibish9145]

Most humans eat dead animals.

[@Celorne]

Maybe you just have a phobia of some sort? That’s how nature works nothing usually goes to waste in nature.

[@thewefactor1]

Here, I'll guess at why the Monarch butterfly is dying out before watching the video... they are part of nature and the repeating cycle of life-death-death-life. If the Monarch butterfly is disappearing as well as others in nature, then that cycle is interrupted or broken. The question is then, what is causing the death of the flora and fauna on the planet? 🫵

[@fleachamberlain1905]

We now know they don't turn into "soup" in a chrysalis.