On a recent trip to northern Wisconsin, my wife and I were fortunate to find migrating Monarchs fluttering and gliding through the woods, landing on Canada Goldenrod just feet away from us to feed in preparation for their epic journey south. We discovered the Monarchs while searching for migratory birds on a quiet forest trail at Cave Point County Park in Door County, Wisconsin.
Birds are well-known for their incredible migrations. The phenomenal round trips taken by birds that often weigh just a few ounces range from Arctic Terns covering 14,000 miles spanning four continents, to Ruby-throated Hummingbirds flying all the way across the Gulf of Mexico, to Rufous Hummingbirds migrating north from Mexico along the Cascade Mountains and then looping back from as far north as Alaska via the Rocky Mountains. The list of epic bird migrations goes on and on.
Now consider Monarch Butterflies. They weigh an average of .20 ounces and have a wing span of 3.5 to 4 inches. These tiny, light as a dollar bill insects can fly 3,000 miles on their migration from the U.S. to central Mexico. Flying at an average speed of 12 miles per hour, the Monarchs that make this journey are the ones born in late summer to early fall. They make this trip only once – an extraordinary feat, especially considering that they never had anyone show them the way before. It takes four generations of Monarchs to make the round trip, working their way back north from Mexico as far north as Canada.
Sadly, Monarchs are much less common than they used to be. Their population has declined from a peak of 1 billion in the 1990s to less than 50 million at present. Three major conservation groups have called for their listing as a Threatened species.
Like so many other species, Monarchs are declining due to lack of habitat, and in particular, the lack of their host plant Milkweed. In addition to providing nectar to feed Monarchs during their migration, Milkweed is the only plant on which they lay their eggs and their larvae eat. Milkweed has declined due to loss of habitat and the widespread use of Roundup – a broad spectrum herbicide.
In addition to pursuing regulations on herbicide use and protecting habitat on a large-scale, we all can all help save butterflies in our back yards. By planting Milkweed and other Monarch-friendly plants like Canada Goldenweed and Rough Blazing Star (both pictured with Monarchs on them), we can attract and help perpetuate the species in areas where Monarchs occur.
How large of an area does a Monarch “Way-Station” need to be? According to Dan Ashe, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “The scale can be a backyard, a schoolyard, a state park, a national park. It’s a matter of everybody doing what they can do, and it all makes a difference.” Visit the website below before you plant to make certain that you select a variety of Milkweed that is native to your region and that you avoid accidentally planting exotic/invasive plants:
http://monarchjointventure.org/images/uploads/documents/MilkweedFactSheetFINAL.pdf
As I write this, Pope Francis is making his first visit to the United States. In his impressive Encyclical Letter “On Care for Our Common Home” he reminds us of our moral responsibility not only to one-another as humans, but to planet Earth and all of its inhabitants, aka God’s creation: “Authentic human development has a moral character. It presumes full respect for the human person, but it must also be concerned for the world around us and take into account the nature of each being and of its mutual connection in an ordered system. Accordingly, our human ability to transform reality must proceed in line with God’s original gift of all that is.”
Pope Francis continues: “Because of us, thousands of species will no longer give glory to God by their very existence, nor convey their message to us. We have no such right.” To this I say amen!
Addendum: Good news for Monarch Conservation just arrived in the form of increased funding for Monarch habitat: http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/science/nature-foundation-unveils-3-3m-in-monarch-butterfly-grants/
