Jefferson Parish Government: KATHY MCCROCKLIN TALKS ABOUT THE FALL BUTTERFLY MIRGRATIONDURING FREE VIRTUAL PRESENTATION

Press release from the Jefferson Parish Government:

July 26, 2021

METAIRIE, LA - Kathy McCrocklin, a retired school teacher and long-time member of the Master Gardeners of Greater New Orleans, will discuss the fall butterfly migration, especially the one of monarch butterflies, at 6 p.m., Monday, Aug. 16, via video conference online. Visit www.jplibrary.net/adults for more details, including how to join the discussion.

The monarch butterfly is one of the most familiar North American butterflies and is considered an iconic pollinator species. Its wings feature an easily recognizable black, orange and white pattern.

Each fall, the eastern population of monarch butterflies embark on an incredible migration to their wintering grounds. The eastern population, which makes up the bulk of the monarch population in North America, travels from as far north as southern Canada to a specific area in the mountains of Mexico called the Monarch Biosphere Reserve northwest of Mexico City. Numbers of monarch butterflies have plummeted in the last few decades by as much as 90 percent.

During this presentation, McCrocklin will discuss ways to support fall-migrating monarchs.

Plant Fall Nectar Sources - Adult monarch butterflies feed on flower nectar. You can help monarchs refuel on their long migratory journey by planting native wildflowers that bloom in the late summer into the fall. Asters and goldenrods are great choices, and there are native species of each in almost all parts of the country.

Don’t Spray Pesticides - Avoid spraying any insecticides in the yard, but especially on fall-blooming plants that monarchs like to visit along their migration routes. Also, do not fall for marketing claims by pesticide manufacturers that their products will not harm butterflies. This claim is not true.

Avoid Pre-Treated Plants - Not all pesticides are sprays. Neonicotinoids are a class of systemic insecticides which means that when treated, a plant absorbs the insecticide into all of its tissues–including the nectar–making it toxic to any insect that feeds on it. Research has shown that neonicotinoids can harm monarch butterflies. Many plant growers and garden centers now label plants that have been treated.

Plant Trees - Migrating monarchs often gather in trees at night or during periods of high winds and bad weather. Planting native trees in one’s yard and supporting community tree-planting efforts can provide this important habitat for the butterflies.

Support Monarch-Friendly Agriculture - For the eastern monarch population in particular, which migrates along a central flyway from Minnesota down through Texas on their way to Mexico, agricultural practices can have a big negative impact. This route happens to follow along America’s “corn belt” where more than 90 percent of the native grassland habitat that monarchs rely on during migration is gone, much of it converted into industrial farms that offer little or no habitat. Heavy reliance on herbicides takes a further toll.

This press release was produced by the Jefferson Parish Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.