After a long respite, I have decided to give this blogging "thing" another try.
Having recently returned from a "bucket list" trip to Islas Galapagos, I find myself thinking more and more about simpler, more earth-friendly practices. (As an aside - Islas Galapagos is an AMAZING place to visit and I'm sure to post more on that adventure in another blog entry).
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| Monarch Butterfly Caterpillar |
Why am I highlighting insects in my blog? It's simple - SURVIVAL.
Monarch butterflies rely on milkweed plants to eat and sustain their life cycle as they migrate. Unfortunately, in North America, milkweed plants are so rare that the monarch butterfly population is decimated! (I do not use that word lightly!)
Current farming and weed control practices use general spectrum herbicides to eliminate plants not deemed suitable for human consumption. Milkweed apparently is on this list - which is both ironic and short sighted.
Ironic because in killing the very plant that the monarch butterfly (in its caterpillar stage) needs to feed in order to make more butterflies, we may be harming ourselves!
Why do we need monarch butterflies? Because they are pollinators (like bees and other insects) and without pollinators, our very food supply is in jeopardy. How sad that the people tasked with providing our food, use practices that eliminate the plants, needed by the pollinators, that in turn help farmers provide food crops. Is that like "Cutting your nose off to spite your face?"
It does seems very short sighted and frankly, stupid. But I digress...
We planted a small milkweed patch (about (12 plants) last fall in our back yard. Honestly, we planted the milkweed too late in the season to do any "good". So we dug them up, brought them inside and nurtured them through the winter months. (We had purchased a "southern" variety of milkweed which would not survive our Maryland winters. This variety of milkweed is native to Florida hence its aversion to snow and cold).
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| "Southern" Milkweed blossoms |
Once transplanted again outdoors, were amazed by the beautiful orange and yellow blossoms that developed. The blossoms attracted plenty of bees but none of our invited and desired guests.
"Then one day as he was shootin' at some food..." - OK I was checking on my small garden when I noticed a brightly colored caterpillar on one of the milkweed stalks! Our royal guests had arrived! Like proud parents, we took lots of pictures!
So far we've seen what we believe to be five distinct caterpillars. We have also noticed scores of butterflies and/or moths frequenting our garden and adjacent milkweed patch.
What's the takeaway from this post? I refer you back to the fourth paragraph - SURVIVAL.
The survival of the monarch butterfly (and other pollinators) is threatened by man's agricultural practices. And if you think the demise of the monarch butterfly is of no consequence, remember that thought when you go to your food market and see dwindling selections, substandard quality and/or higher prices.
Please do your own research. Please contact your government officials and ask them to support sensible policies that protect the environment. Please chose to purchase food produced in a manner that respects, preserves and enhances the environment.
In the words of the fictional character Forrest Gump - "That's all I got to say about that".
Thanks for reading.
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