Warning! While there are many predators of butterflies, the greatest threat to their lives is humans. As the human population continues to grow and develop more of the world, at times that process destroys the habitats that help butterflies survive. Butterflies need to be very specific when finding a leaf on which to lay their eggs. To ensure that their eggs are safe, the leaves must be thick enough and have enough texture to support the eggs. For example, Monarch butterflies will only lay their eggs on milkweed plants. If these plants are destroyed, the Monarch will not lay eggs and cannot help repopulate the butterfly population. Another human-related factor that endangers butterflies is the use of pesticides, which are sprayed on crops to deter bugs from eating them. These chemicals harm the butterflies that land on the crops. Even if our actions arent purposefully harmful, humans should be very careful to keep the butterfly population safe!
