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The monarch butterfly makes one of the most amazing migrations on Earth, flying from central Mexico to the northern US. No one butterfly can complete the circuit within its lifetime. The route appears to be remembered across generations, mystifying biologists to this day. https://twitter.com/centerforbiodiv/status/1352964343449735169
The only nesting site in the world for this incredible insect is the cardiotoxic milkweed, once abundant along this route. Milkweed populations have collapsed in recent decades with accelerating agricultural herbicide use. The monarch is now spiraling toward extinction.
Glyphosate, the most common herbicide in the world, has not only impacted global flora diversity, but its over-the-counter formulae have been linked to a blood cancer called non-Hodgkins lymphoma. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1383574218300887
A class-action lawsuit was settled last year by Bayer, glyphosate’s manufacturer, after losing several cases against terminally ill agricultural workers & groundskeepers suffering from NHL after glyphosate exposure. There were 10s of 1000s of plaintiffs. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/24/business/roundup-settlement-lawsuits.html
Today, glyphosate is banned in 10 countries and restricted in 15 others. Weeds it was designed to kill, such as pigweed, horseweed, and amaranth, have developed resistant strains. Milkweed has not proven as resilient. Monarch populations have fallen by 80-99% in 4 decades.
