Genetically Modified Crops Imperiling Monarch Butterfly

[will-o-wisp]

Along the roadsides, where I usually see mostly invasives, I have recently seen large stretches of milkweed flowering.
The down side is the road crews have been out mowing and the next time I've looked
alot of the milkweed is gone.
Another loss for the monarchs.

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by jack

One point is easy to assert here, and that is that any bona fide wildlife gardener SHOULD have at least one variety of milkweed on the property. Would you agree??

How could I not?

So far, I have three varieties, unfortunately none in great numbers...yet. However, for the past two years, I've been collecting seed (of many of my natives) and winter sowing them with good results, so I hope to increase what I have every year.

I'd like to see regular homeowners do the same...even if it ends up only being those varieties that can pass in a traditional flowerbed.

[linrose]

Swamp milkweed is so easy to grow, and blooms the first year and the monarchs love it. Why not start with it?

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by will-o-wisp

Along the roadsides, where I usually see mostly invasives, I have recently seen large stretches of milkweed flowering.
The down side is the road crews have been out mowing and the next time I've looked
alot of the milkweed is gone.
Another loss for the monarchs.

~sigh~ I guess that means a lot more homeowners have to grow it and not mow it. Then how do we get the monarchs not to waste time on the ones that will be mowed?

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by linrose

Swamp milkweed is so easy to grow, and blooms the first year and the monarchs love it. Why not start with it?

I've had my swamp milkweed in a pot for way too many years...this spring I finally put it in the ground while we were having all of that rain. I thought I saw buds a while back, but they seem to have dropped off. I was checking it out today, it looks fine...and there are a *few* tiny holes in the leaves, but no obvious caterpillars.

[jack]

Originally Posted by dapjwy

~sigh~ I guess that means a lot more homeowners have to grow it and not mow it. Then how do we get the monarchs not to waste time on the ones that will be mowed?

Education, my man, education. Get the monarchs into the classroom!!!

[dapjwy]

Originally Posted by jack

Education, my man, education. Get the monarchs into the classroom!!!

Yep. ...and let's educate those responsible for mowing the roadsides too. If it is unrealistic to stop the mowing...we should at least get the DOT to grow natives in the center and only mow smaller strips near the shoulders...saves on gas--sounds good to me especially in this economy.