August 13, 2019

Cities And Monarch Butterflies

Listen Later

2 minutes

Monarchs are some of the most well-known butterflies in the U.S. It is well-known that populations of the iconic orange-and-black butterflies have been in a steep decline for the last 20 years. In fact, the Monarch population has declined by 80% over that period.

Milkweed, the only plant that Monarchs can lay their eggs on,

continues to disappear across the United States and with it, the butterflies

can disappear too.

Two new studies published in the journal Frontiers of Ecology and

Evolution show that one of the most important things that can be

done to save the Monarchs is to plant milkweed in cities.

We tend to think of cities as being the enemy of nature. But metropolitan areas actually matter for

wildlife conservation and that is especially true for pollinators like

butterflies that can actually survive with very small patches of habitat.

The new study estimates the amount of habitat in cities that is

available to Monarchs and other pollinators and how much more can potentially

be added. It looked at cities from the

Monarch’s point of view by identifying the best places and most effective ways

to engage land owners to transform low-quality green space – such as lawns –

into high-quality homes for butterflies and other wildlife.

Just because urban dwellers can plant milkweed doesn’t always mean

that they will. There has to be a public

perception that milkweed and other native flowers are acceptable and beautiful

elements in home landscaping. It will

require some shifting of societal norms of what is desirable in neighborhood

gardens in order for cities to be able to do their part in protecting

butterflies and other species struggling in the modern world.

**********

Web Links

Cities are Key to Saving Monarch Butterflies

Photo, posted August 31, 2012, courtesy of Chris via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

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Earth Wise

By Randy Simon

4.7

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August 13, 2019

Cities And Monarch Butterflies

Listen Later

2 minutes

Monarchs are some of the most well-known butterflies in the U.S. It is well-known that populations of the iconic orange-and-black butterflies have been in a steep decline for the last 20 years. In fact, the Monarch population has declined by 80% over that period.

Milkweed, the only plant that Monarchs can lay their eggs on,

continues to disappear across the United States and with it, the butterflies

can disappear too.

Two new studies published in the journal Frontiers of Ecology and

Evolution show that one of the most important things that can be

done to save the Monarchs is to plant milkweed in cities.

We tend to think of cities as being the enemy of nature. But metropolitan areas actually matter for

wildlife conservation and that is especially true for pollinators like

butterflies that can actually survive with very small patches of habitat.

The new study estimates the amount of habitat in cities that is

available to Monarchs and other pollinators and how much more can potentially

be added. It looked at cities from the

Monarch’s point of view by identifying the best places and most effective ways

to engage land owners to transform low-quality green space – such as lawns –

into high-quality homes for butterflies and other wildlife.

Just because urban dwellers can plant milkweed doesn’t always mean

that they will. There has to be a public

perception that milkweed and other native flowers are acceptable and beautiful

elements in home landscaping. It will

require some shifting of societal norms of what is desirable in neighborhood

gardens in order for cities to be able to do their part in protecting

butterflies and other species struggling in the modern world.

**********

Web Links

Cities are Key to Saving Monarch Butterflies

Photo, posted August 31, 2012, courtesy of Chris via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

...more