Save the Monarchs!!!

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Today's post is a PSA (public service announcement) from McKay about monarch butterflies.

I got a text from her a couple days ago with a link to buy some milkweed seeds along with "We need to help the monarchs, you should plant some!" I love my sister's love for the insect world. She and I both have the same earthy love for plants and nature, except hers is more of a bohemian/hippie love, and lately mine is a redneck/homesteader type love.

Her love comes in the form of diligently misting her indoor orchids and house plants, hunting rhino beetles in the dark, the gorgeous colors of a moth's wing hatched before her eyes, memorizing star constellations, and the smell of summer night air.

While I have been busy with my vegetable garden and planting flower bulbs, McKay has been busy planting flowers along a cliff-side, preparing a place to keep her new Italian beehives this Spring.

When I got her message about the milkweed seeds and monarchs, I responded that I would totally buy some seeds to plant, and would she mind sending me some more information so I could blog about it?

So, my fellow proper mountain women, here is McKay's info on the plight of the Monarch, and what you can do to help them:

MONARCHS AND MILKWEEDS

by McKay

Every year thousands and thousands of monarchs migrate across North America to Canada. The journey they take is one of the most beautiful miracles Mother Nature lets us witness.

Starting in Mexico they fly to Canada, and then all the way back again. There is many amazing details about this trip, but one of them is that not one butterfly takes the same journey! The monarch flies as long as it's life will allow, and then lay it's eggs and die. Then, a new caterpillar is born...

and after it transforms into a butterfly, it takes flight, and continues the journey!

 

When all is said and done, it is a total of 5 to 6 different butterfly generations that complete this trip.

No one knows how the new butterfly knows where to go, yet they always make it back home to Mexico.

Beautiful!

 

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Yet the only plant, the ONLY plant that the caterpillars feed on is the milkweed. In it's time of eating it quadruples it's size and needs the energy for the flight.

Because the fields are being torn down, because shopping malls must go up, the milkweed plant is becoming more sparse. And the numbers of monarchs are going down too.

So do your part! I am!

Grab some organic milkweed seeds and spread 'em!

They are perfect for the Utah weather, and they grow almost anywhere.

Also, if you are a mom, planting milkweed seeds is an amazing summer activity. Raising plants, playing with aphids and ladybugs, watching for eggs and caterpillars is a great way to introduce kids to the incredible world of insects.

Let's help keep this treasure alive!

Peace and pine trees,

Whitney and McKay

PS. A growing tip: you will get aphids, there is no way to avoid it, but don't worry, they won't bother the caterpillars. If you want a healthy organic way to get rid of them buy yourself some ladybugs.

PPS. McKay says if you want any info on how to spot butterfly eggs, or how to keep away predators, she is happy to help... simply leave a comment below.