Death of a dynasty: west North America lost over 95% of its monarch butterflies in 35 years

The end is nigh for the monarch butterfly. Image credits Billings Brett / USFWS. Tradition dictates that every year, the American West Coast dons a fluttery, black-and-orange coat with the migration of the monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). But in recent decades, that coat has become thinner and frailer, an indication that something isn't quite right with…