Save Monarch Butterflies
Monarch Butterfly Populations are Crashing Here’s What You Can DoWhen I was young, I set out on a plan to learn every butterfly species that occurred in my part of the country (upper Midwest USA). One of the first of these was moncler sale the beautiful and regal monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus. It is one of the cheap moncler coats mens best known insects in the world. The monarch is often the first butterfly people learn to identify, and it occurs throughout North America as well as many other parts of the world. But the monarch is in critical danger. Shocking new data indicate that this uk moncler sale iconic insect is experiencing a population crash. Less that twenty years ago, the number of monarch butterflies hibernating in the pine covered mountains of northern Mexico was estimated at one billion individuals; this year, the estimate is only 35 million. This means you and I will see far fewer of these majestic insects, if we see them at all. moncler uk outlet The monarch is on its way to becoming a very rare sight across North America.
But all is not moncler sale outlet lost there are things you and I can do to help pull this moncler outlet woodbury species back from the brink.
Why Are Monarch Butterflies Becoming Rare?To understand the most likely reason for the decline in monarch butterfly numbers, you need to know a little about the life cycle of the insect. Like all butterflies, the monarch goes through four stages of development. This is called «complete metamorphosis,» and in this case it means the insect begins life as an egg, which hatches into a caterpillar. The tiny caterpillar does nothing but eat, storing energy for the adult phase. When the caterpillar is full discount moncler jackets grown, it enters the third phase, or pupa (also commonly known as a «chrysalis»). During this time the caterpillar is being rearranged into the winged adult, a process that truly boggles the mind. But when it’s complete, the butterfly breaks out of the pupa, unfurls its wings, and flies off to find a mate. If the purpose of the caterpillar phase was to accumulate fat cheap moncler sale and energy, the purpose of the adult is to find a moncler outlet prices mate, lay eggs, and keep the cycle going. It’s a beautiful process that is still being studied by scientists.
Since the caterpillar is the «eating» stage of the monarch and all other butterflies, it’s critically important that there’s enough food to go around. Monarch caterpillars are very picky they only eat one kind of plant, cheap moncler jackets mens the milkweed (family Asclepias). There are several species of milkweed that occur in the monarch’s range, and up until recently the plant was abundant in open places, along roadsides, and on the edges moncler outlet online of fields. It was easy to cheap moncler jackets find the caterpillars feeding on the leaves of milkweed plants across the entire country not so long ago, in ditches and field borders throughout the Midwest and East. Now, this magnificent animal is on the brink of extinction.
Kill Milkweed, Kill MonarchsSince the monarch needs a healthy crop of milkweed to feed on, the butterfly’s survival is directly connected to the survival of milkweed plants across the country. But in the last two decades, the number of milkweed plants has plummeted. Part of this phenomenon may be related to climate change, but researchers have identified a more destructive force. It’s thought that best moncler jackets modern agricultural practices, specifically the use of genetically altered soybean and other crops, has caused wild milkweed to nearly vanish from the places it was once abundant.
Genetic Engineering and the Decline of the MonarchThe connection between genetically modified crops and the decline of the monarch butterfly is direct and backed by research. Genetically modified crops lead to the destruction of all other plants in the vicinity. In fact, that’s the whole idea behind this kind of agriculture. These plants are genetically altered to be impervious to the strong herbicides that farmers spray around them. The herbicides plant poison kill everything but the modified soybeans, corn, and so on. This means healthier crops, lower prices, and more abundant food. It’s not entirely a bad thing, since you and moncler online store I benefit directly from this arrangement. It’s modern science and technology in action.
But the monarch butterfly, obviously, does not benefit. Since the milkweed it depends on is killed by the herbicides along with all the other «weeds» in the vicinity, there are far fewer caterpillars that grow up to become adults. Let this pattern repeat for several years, and the number of butterflies you and I see dwindles rapidly.
By Lars Plougmann (Flickr: We all go about our tasks P1030567) [CC BY SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Things do indeed look bleak for the survival of our most spectacular butterfly. With milkweed being destroyed by more aggressive herbicide use, and uk moncler outlet monarch population numbers down to a moncler usa fraction of their normal level, it’s not unimaginable moncler outlet store that the monarch will become a very rare, https://www.cheapmoncler.com if not extinct, species.
But you and I can make a difference. Planting milkweed in our backyards and moncler outlet parkways will provide monarchs with the food plants they need. If enough people join this initiative, the moncler womens jackets plant can become common again (apart from the agricultural areas where it may never return).
Milkweed grows fast, is tolerant of most climates, and has beautiful flowers that attract a multitude of butterfly species, including the monarch. It needs very little care. There is hardly a garden or yard that wouldn’t look better with a few milkweed plants in it.
Where You Can Get Milkweed Seeds
It’s simple to start bringing the monarchs back by growing milkweed. Their website provides a list of milkweed seed suppliers throughout the country, as well as excellent tips for finding and spreading wild milkweed on your own. This is a great example of a motivated group of people devoting time and energy to great cause, and they deserve moncler sale online our support.
If you have ever watched a big orange butterfly drifting on the breeze and sensed the endless beauty and power of nature, then you must realize what’s at stake.
Sally Gulbrandsen 4 months ago from Norfolk
Nothing gets my attention quicker than a great image of a butterfly. I have cheap moncler jackets womens spent many happy hours photographing them myself and learning about them:) Always nice to moncler outlet sale see someone encouraging plants which help them survive.
Deborah Demander 2 years ago from First Wyoming, then THE WORLD
Great hub.
I always let the milkweed grow in my garden, for the butterflies. Although, I have yet to see an actual chrysalis.
My great aunt and uncle had moncler sale outlet milkweed in their backyard. I’ll never forget how silky the seeds felt in my hands when I would crack open the pods when I was a little girl. I sure hope that we can save the monarchs. Just like I hope that we will be able to save the honeybees.