The monarch butterfly is back in the news again. The Center
for Biodiversity is petitioning the federal government to declare the monarch
butterfly an endangered species. An
estimated 90% of the species has been lost over the past two decades.
Why? The monarch's migration
is unique to this continent. One small,
fragile bug joins millions of others every fall to travel back from the
northern area of North America to their overwintering grounds in the mountains
of central Mexico. That covers a vast amount of land! Then again
in the spring, this same butterfly heads north, as far as Texas, to lay the first generation of eggs
before dying. Milkweed is the host plant
of the monarch butterfly. This is a critical point. Different butterflies lay their eggs on
specific families of plants. It is the
ONLY plant they will lay eggs on, and the only plant the caterpillars will
eat. For the monarch butterfly, the host
plant is Milkweed.
Thus, milkweed in abundance is a necessity for the survival
of monarch butterflies. There are over 100 different types of Asclepius or
milkweed. Different types grown in
different climate zones of the continent.
It's important to know what native species grows in your area. Over the past two decades a number of factors
have contributed to wiping out the breeding grounds of the monarch.
- Urban sprawl.
Open, weedy fields, especially across the Midwest,
have been paved over for development.
Estimated loss of summer breeding ground is the size of Texas.
- Genetically modified plants kill adjacent
"weedy" plants. These so
called "weeds" include milkweed.
- In Mexico, continued illegal
plundering of the oyamel forests in the monarch sanctuaries are destroying
habitat. Doing this is like punching
holes in the delicate microclimate in the mountains where the monarchs
overwinter. Recent storms killed
countless monarchs.
- Along
the barrier island coast, residents cut back the shrubs (groundsel, sea myrtle)
for a better view. The migrating monarchs depend on these shrubs as they
journey south.
If you're
like me, when you read facts like this, your heart aches and you want to know
what you can do to help. Allow me to
make a few suggestions of things we can all do in our own back yard to make a
difference.
In a
nutshell, remember this: SPRING Plant host Milkweed! FALL
Plant nectar flowers!
1. Plant milkweed. That's the number one thing you can do. It's an easy plant to grow, needs full
sunlight and that's about it. The spring
and summer is when the monarchs are laying eggs and increasing the
population. In the fall, the migrating
monarch goes into diapause, does not mate, and uses its energy to journey south
to Mexico.
·
seeds You can buy seeds on line and plant them in
the spring or fall. In the fall, pods
form on the milkweed. They're just beginning now so it's a good time to harvest
and collect seeds. I sprinkle them on
tilled soil now and let nature take its course!
·
milkweed
plants You can buy milkweed as
plants at many local nurseries now, as well as online. Here's what is important to ask: Has the
milkweed been sprayed with pesticides?
If it has, the plant will kill your caterpillars! If the nursery doesn't
know, it probably has been sprayed. I
wash mine thoroughly in the spring and let it sit out of the garden in pots for
a month before planting it. And I try to only buy milkweed from an organic
source. Once you have your milkweed
patch established in your garden, the plant should survive and seed additional
plants.
·
resources for plants and monarchs:
a. Bring Back the Monarch http://monarchwatch.org/bring-back-the-monarchs/resources/plant-seed-suppliers
b. Live Monarch: I love this site. Great for
getting seeds, plants, supplies! http://www.livemonarch.com/free-milkweed-seeds.htm
c. Learner.org A major
source of information for butterfly
lovers. Great reports on monarch migration. http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/indexCurrent.html
·
The three rules for all milkweed: 1. DO NOT EAT 2.DO NOT GET SAP ON SKIN OR IN EYES. 3.
EDUCATE AND PROTECT OTHERS FROM #1 & 2.
I
hate it when milkweed is referred to as a "weed." I find it quite pretty! I plant milkweed directly in my
"nectar" show garden. See how
pretty it looks? Which is the milkweed?
I have a "rear" garden
for host plants that can look raggedy after the caterpillars chew it up. But that's what its there for! I refer to
this patch as my "host" garden.
In the early summer I tossed in a few tomatoes, too. There is milkweed, passion vine (for the Gulf
Fritillary) dill, fennel and parsley (for the swallowtails) rue and paw paw.
In my zone I grow turberosa and curassavica "tropical"
milkweed. There is a debate as to
whether the tropical milkweed, a non-native, is interfering with the monarch
migration by providing a milkweed source for butterflies that, simply put,
tricks them to staying and breeding rather than moving south. I have also heard from local butterfly
experts that late travelers stay in our region through the winter in SC and Florida where the
weather is mild and nectar sources abundant.
I strongly support the planting
of native species of milkweed. Here is
an informative article to read to help you make your own decision.
In my area, a barrier island,
however, we are having difficulty finding suppliers of native milkweed. Frankly, if I lived in the Midwest
I'd plant only native species that would die down naturally in the fall. Here on Isle of Palms, tropical milkweed grows
abundantly and I've decided to continue planting it to increase the species. I
also cut it back in the winter.
2. Plant Nectar plants. Nectar is the food of butterflies. They need nectar during the breeding season
and the really need it now, as they migrate south. This one brave butterfly that travels
thousands of miles must reach the sanctuary in Mexico having gained weight! Yes, gained enough weight to survive the winter
months.
My garden looks sparse by September, just when the monarchs
are racing through searching for food.
Over
the past few years I've planted only those flowers that I know will still be in
bloom in the fall.
My favorites here include:
penta, coneflower, Joe pyeweed, buddleia, sedum, Mexican petunia.
Even still, I'm going to the garden center this
week to buy some "fall stock" for the garden. I'm pumping up the
supply for migrating butterflies and boosting the garden's appearance as well.
Learn what plants butterflies prefer in your
area, especially those that continue blooming through the fall.
3. Don't spray pesticides in your garden! If it kills spiders, ants, etc it will also
kill caterpillars! I oppose aerial mosquito
spraying, especially during the migrating season. Be aggressive in your own
back yard to not let standing water stay in your birdbaths, planters, etc. Try some of the fabulous mosquito
"zappers" that use lure to draw the varmints in. There are
alternatives to spraying with pesticides.
Your flower/milkweed garden should be a "no spray" zone.
4. Urge your local politicians to support the
petition to put monarchs on the endangered species list.
5. Raise Monarchs Finally, if you are really interested, and you want to share
your passion with your children, try raising monarchs! If I can do it, so can you!
It's not hard, but it does require daily
diligence AND a big supply of milkweed--estimated one plant per
caterpillar. I wrote a children's book-- A
BUTTERFLY CALLED HOPE with gorgeous photographs by Barbara Bergwerf to help you
see what you should do to raise monarchs. I find actually "seeing" the process is both educational and a relief.
For more detailed information (which you will want) I highly recommend getting
MY MONARCH JOURNAL by Connie Muther.
Also online, go to www.monarchwatch.com
for an excellent resource on rearing monarchs and all things monarch.
Currently in my "nursery" I have 60 caterpillars
chomping away! I have a number of swallowtails too. I'm spending long hours every day alone in my
office, finishing a novel. It's exhausting work. Many times a day I take a break to go
downstairs to the garden, with Buster and Maggie trotting faithfully behind me,
to check on the nursery. I replenish
food supply then go out to the milkweed to scout for eggs. I find some every day! This brief connection
to nature nourishes my creative self. I
feel an "ahhh" outdoors with the butterflies that is instant
gratification in my own back yard. After
my break I go back upstairs to work once more on my novel, my batteries recharged.
The nursery will continue to grow as more eggs hatch into
caterpillars. I can only raise as many
as I have milkweed to feed them. When
the milkweed is gone I must let nature take its course. But next spring I will plant still more
milkweed, and more the following year and share seeds with friends so they will
plant milkweed, too.
If you plant it--they will come!
