Monarch butterflies are one of the most famous sights in the insect world. Their brown-and-black wings, all translucent hues and shimmering shapes, are breath-catchingly beautiful.
But in Texas, numbers of these pretty bugs have been dwindling for years, as droughts increasingly take hold.
But now one researcher is suggesting a novel way that people can help out -- plant lots of flowers.
Yes, it seems like the healing properties of flowers don't just affect humans. According to researcher Craig Wilson, if the people of Texas plant Milkweed flowers, the Monarch's favourite, then this small gesture could have a big impact in keeping the Monarch populations stable.
He says: "Put a pot on your patio with a milkweed flower and you're helping out. If you plant it, they will come."
This is an approach we could all learn a lot from, including here in the UK, where dwindling butterfly populations have also been noticed. Planting buddleia or another butterfly-friendly plant is a great way to arrest this decline, and keep the butterflies butterflying on.
