The number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States dropped dramatically this year even as federal officials move to extend protections for the beloved pollinator

The number of monarch butterflies spending winter in the western U.S. dropped dramatically this year, despite moves to extend protections for the insect.

The number of monarch butterflies spending the winter in the western United States has dropped to its second-lowest mark in nearly three decades as pesticides, diminishing habitat and climate change take their toll on the beloved pollinator.