monarchs

The increasing intensity and frequency of extreme heat likely compounds stresses on the iconic butterfly, worrying biologists about how the struggling population will respond.

The population of western monarch butterflies wintering along the California coast has rebounded for a second year in a row after a precipitous drop in 2020, but the population of orange-and-black insects is still well below what it used to be, researchers say.

A study in which insects were equipped with tiny radio-tracking fanny packs could help conservation efforts as populations around the world decline.