Chip Taylor is concerned about the status of this year’s monarch butterfly population after millions of the insects died in winter storms in Mexico, where they spend their winters.

But he’s more concerned about the apparent cause of the storms — global warming — and about the future of the migratory butterflies.

“What the consequence seems to be of global warming is that you’re getting more winter rainfall,” said Taylor, director of the Kansas University-based Monarch Watch. “With this winter rainfall, you often get cold weather. And the result is that you get big butterfly kills.”

Taylor will leave Friday with a team of researchers for a 10-day tour of the Mexican butterfly habitats. He hopes to gain a better picture of how the recent storms hurt the population, which is found about 100 miles west of Mexico City.

A similar storm in 2002 wiped out 220 million to 270 million monarchs, or 75 percent to 80 percent of the overwintering population. Taylor said he’d heard varying reports on how many were dead this time.

“In spite of these storms, the butterflies in the center of the most protected areas, some of them will survive, even if you lose 80 percent of them,” he said. “Some will survive because they’re in the center of these massive clusters or under canopies where they don’t get enough rainfall to really soak the butterflies.”

6News video: KU researchers to check on population of monarch butterflies 6News video: Butterflies tagged at annual Monarch Watch (9-16-03) Volunteers brave rain to tag wetlands’ monarchs (9-14-03) KU Entymology Program Monarch Watch

Taylor said he also was planning to get an update on illegal logging in Mexico, which is hurting monarch habitat.

The dead butterflies have another negative effect on Monarch Watch. Researchers collect tags placed on the butterflies in North America, such as the semiannual tagging events at the Baker Wetlands. They pay Mexicans $5 per tag for those that are recovered.

When more butterflies die, there are more tags. Taylor said Monarch Watch had collected about $2,400 to pay for the tags, but much more will be needed.

“From what we’re hearing about the mortality, we’re going to have to spend probably $10,000 in order to cover all of the tags that will be available when we go down there,” he said.