(Barbara Friedman / flickr)

Monarch butterflies are in trouble.

Populations of both the Eastern and Western butterflies have been dropping dramatically. Western monarchs have seen a 99 percent drop in their numbers since the 1980’s.

A variety of factors are at play, including climate change, pesticides and loss of their habitat to human encroachment.

In 2020 the Fish and Wildlife Service said monarchs may need to be on the endangered species list, but held off listing them for the moment.

Some states are working together to find ways to help the butterflies, to try and head off federal restrictions.

Dr. Karen Oberhauser is a professor of entomology and director of the arboretum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and she joined Idaho Matters to talk about monarchs.