{"id":283,"date":"2012-10-13T15:54:42","date_gmt":"2012-10-13T15:54:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=283"},"modified":"2012-10-13T15:54:42","modified_gmt":"2012-10-13T15:54:42","slug":"marvelous-migrating-monarchs-need-our-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/?p=283","title":{"rendered":"Marvelous Migrating Monarchs Need Our Help"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Barb Elliot<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Monarch butterflies are on the move.\u00a0 \u00a0I\u2019ve been seeing them fly through my yard, above fields, over traffic jams, through neighborhoods.\u00a0 These fragile creatures are heading southwest toward their ancient wintering grounds, stopping along the way to rest and sip nectar from late-blooming plants.\u00a0 The peak of Monarch migration through our area is mid- to late-September, but you may still see Monarchs if you spend time outdoors.<\/p>\n

This generation of Monarchs is different from those we saw in the summer.\u00a0 Those Monarchs were intent on mating and laying eggs and only lived from two to six weeks.\u00a0 But this generation will live for about eight months and is in the midst of an epic journey.\u00a0\u00a0 They will not mate, but instead are programmed to fly to a place they have never been before \u2013 mountains in Mexico where millions of Monarchs will roost together to survive the winter.\u00a0 Some of them will fly as far as 3,000 miles!<\/p>\n

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Monarch Fall Migration Routes<\/p><\/div>\n

Migrating Monarchs depend on nectar sources along their route for energy to complete the journey. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0Next spring, the Monarchs that survive migration and the winter in Mexico will fly north into Texas, mate, lay eggs on milkweed plants and die.\u00a0 Caterpillars will hatch from the eggs, eat milkweed, change into chrysalises, and emerge as adult Monarch butterflies that in turn fly north, mate, lay eggs and die.\u00a0 The next generation will make its way farther north and east, repeat the cycle, and the U.S. and Canada east of the Rocky Mountains will once again be populated with Monarch butterflies during spring and summer.\u00a0 The great, great, grandchildren of the Monarchs that are now flying south will be the ones we see during their migration to Mexico next fall.\u00a0 Though some butterfly species complete a one-way migration, Monarchs are the only butterfly species in the world that accomplishes a two-way migration.<\/p>\n

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Monarchs roosting on their Mexican over-wintering grounds. National Geographic photo.<\/p><\/div>\n

Migrating Monarchs face many threats, including bad weather, predators, and lack of food, but some have always survived to continue the species.\u00a0 However, if current<\/p>\n

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This Monarch, caught by a praying mantis, won\u2019t make it to Mexico. Cape May, NJ, September 12, 2012 Photo \u00a9 Barb Elliot<\/p><\/div>\n

trends continue, we are in danger of losing Monarchs altogether.\u00a0 This year\u2019s population, according to Chip Taylor, director of Monarch Watch, is about half the long-term average.\u00a0\u00a0 Monarch numbers have been declining since the late 1990\u2019s, but the downward trend has accelerated since 2003. \u00a0Monarch Watch indicates the major cause for the decline is loss of food sources in the U.S. from development, routine mowing along roadsides, and the widespread use of herbicides that kill milkweed plants, the Monarch caterpillar\u2019s only food.\u00a0 Increased use of genetically modified corn and soy crops on mid-west farms is likely responsible for much of the population decline.\u00a0 These crops are engineered to survive the spraying of herbicides which kill milkweeds and other plants growing in the fields.\u00a0 Since the year 2000, about 100 million acres of former Monarch milkweed habitat in agricultural areas have been lost in this way. The milkweed habitats that are left are not sufficient to sustain the larger Monarch populations of the 1990s.<\/p>\n

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This Monarch near Austin, Texas is much closer to the Mexican wintering grounds, but faces drought conditions with few flowers to provide nectar. October 9, 2012. Photo \u00a9 Barb Elliot<\/p><\/div>\n

Monarchs need our help!<\/strong>\u00a0 Monarch Watch has suggested a national effort to plant milkweeds in as many locations as possible, and have instituted a campaign called Bring Back the Monarchs<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/em>It\u2019s not too late to get some milkweed started in your garden this fall, or you can wait till spring.\u00a0 Perhaps you can think of additional locations that milkweeds could be planted, such as in schoolyards, parks, business properties, or roadsides.\u00a0 Milkweeds do well in containers, too, so a large space is not necessary.\u00a0 Of the five species of native milkweeds in my yard, my favorite is Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata<\/em>).\u00a0 I found many Monarch eggs on my Swamp Milkweed this summer and also noticed that adults seemed to prefer the long-blooming Swamp Milkweed flowers\u2019 nectar to that of other flowers in my yard.<\/p>\n

You can help migrating Monarchs and other fall-flying butterflies by providing late-blooming nectar plants such as native asters and goldenrods.\u00a0 Consider adding flowering plants to your yard that provide a succession of blooms from spring through fall.\u00a0 You\u2019ll be providing nectar not just for migrating Monarchs, but also for the Monarchs and other butterflies that fly earlier in the year.\u00a0 Check the native perennials on our Backyards for Nature<\/em> plant list<\/a>\u00a0for some suggestions.<\/p>\n

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Male Monarch on New England Aster in Barb\u2019s yard. September 21, 2012. Photo \u00a9 Barb Elliot<\/p><\/div>\n

If you add milkweeds for Monarch caterpillars and nectar plants for the adults, you will be helping to make more Monarchs.\u00a0 You\u2019ll not only have the satisfaction of knowing you\u2019re helping to increase the population, but you\u2019ll be able to see these marvelous butterflies in your yard and even witness their metamorphosis of egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly! You can also have your yard certified as a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch<\/a>.\u00a0 This will mark your contribution to preserving Monarchs and show others how they, too, can help one of the true treasures of the natural world.<\/p>\n

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Certified Monarch Waystation sign from Monarch Watch. Photo by Barb Elliot<\/p><\/div>\n

Below is a list of the locally native species of milkweed that I grow in my yard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

Locally Native Milkweed Plants**<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

Botanical Name<\/strong><\/td>\nCommon Name<\/strong><\/td>\nBloom Color & Period<\/strong><\/td>\nLight\u00a0 & Soil Conditions<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asclepias incarnata<\/em><\/td>\nSwamp\u00a0\u00a0 Milkweed<\/td>\nPink flowers; June & July<\/td>\nPart to full sun, moist soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asclepias tuberosa<\/em><\/td>\nButterfly\u00a0\u00a0 Milkweed<\/td>\nOrange flowers; June to August<\/td>\nSun, dry to average soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asclepias\u00a0 verticillata<\/em><\/td>\nWhorled\u00a0\u00a0 Milkweed<\/td>\nWhite flowers; July & August<\/td>\nSun, dry to average soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asclepias purpurascens<\/em><\/td>\nPurple\u00a0\u00a0 Milkweed<\/td>\nDark pink\/purple flowers; June & July<\/td>\nPart to full sun, dry\/ average\/moist soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Asclepias syriaca*<\/em><\/td>\nCommon\u00a0\u00a0 Milkweed<\/td>\nPink flowers; June & July<\/td>\nSun, dry soil<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 *Spreads rapidly by underground rhizomes;\u00a0 best for large areas with other flowers and grasses<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\u00a0 **All are deer resistant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

For a list of local nurseries that sell native milkweeds, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For info on how to gather and plant milkweed seeds, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Barb Elliot Monarch butterflies are on the move.\u00a0 \u00a0I\u2019ve been seeing them fly through my yard, above fields, over traffic jams, through neighborhoods.\u00a0 These fragile creatures are heading southwest toward their ancient wintering grounds, stopping along the way to … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,22,20,18,23],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=283"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":331,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/283\/revisions\/331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/backyardsfornature.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}