Protecting Monarch Butterfly Habitats by Lynn Mehl


seasons; each accompanied with a different connotation, decoration and excitement of ideas. Autumn is typically associated with colorful trees, chrysanthemums, pies and pumpkins, pumpkins and more pumpkins! However, there are many other less obvious yet


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equally spectacular things happening in each season as well. In the natural world, autumn is also the time of one of nature’s most breathtaking events—the Monarch butterfly migration. With their black and orange wings, Monarchs are among the most noted and loved of all butterflies, yet how much do we really know about them? Every autumn huge masses of northeastern Monarchs


travel up to 3,000 miles to Mexico with only their instinct as a guide. Amazingly, they are born with the knowledge to make this one time, roundtrip journey along the same route their predecessors traveled. They begin their journey in mid-Sep- tember to mid-October when the temperature begins to fall and the fruit juices and flower nectars begin to run out. Along the way they stop at various intervals to eat and drink; those fortunate enough to live near wildflowers may be graced with hundreds of dinner guests. Unfortunately, your likelihood of this chance encoun-


ter may be dwindling. Like all pollinators and much of our wildlife, the Monarch’s habitats are quickly disappearing. They really could use our help. Due to extensive land development (6,000 acres per day in the United States), the use of herbi- cides in genetically-modified food production, and frequent mowing along roadsides and grasslands, the habitats of all wildlife are dwindling. Cleared areas provide no food or shel- ter for any of them. Monarchs require milkweed and nectar to live. In fact, milkweed is the only food the spring caterpillars eat; without


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iving in the Northeast we are fortunate to experience the diversity of the four


milkweed they cannot repro- duce. As summer adults, they live on fruit and flower nectars to sustain them for the long migration each autumn.


Preserve Monarch Habitats


Photo © David Crehner / photoxpress


The good news is that we can help protect, preserve and cre- ate milkweed and, thus, help protect Monarch habitats. To


begin with, by not cutting the wild patches in our gardens or in other areas within our communities and along roadways, we can conserve the habitats that are already there. If wild areas are scarce, we can create Monarch habitats or ‘waysta- tions’ on any unused plots of land. The return is priceless. Think of the joy we experience


when they fearlessly land right next to us like a new friend. Yet they should fear us because our everyday lives some- times blind us to other worlds as we try to keep up with our own. Then one day we may say, “Whatever happened to…” or “When did that cease to be?” Every action we take has a reaction in our lives, the environment and the animal world. We are part of their ecosystem, and can take actions that will support that ecosystem such as planting milkweed seeds that support an entire species. This autumn start a tradition of keeping watch of your sur- roundings and maybe create your own little ‘waystation’. And be sure to keep your camera ready. Visit MonarchWatch.org for simple actions that all ages can participate in to help and learn just what exactly goes into being a Monarch butterfly.


Lynn Mehl is the owner of Good Old Days Eco-Florist in New Windsor. Good Old Days serves the tri-state area with earth- friendly designs, goods and gifts using local/U.S. grown flow- ers. Lynn Mehl can be reached at GoodOldDaysFlorist.com or 562-2820.


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