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| The Monarch Butterflies continue to be scarce in much of their normal migratory range. Work continues to re-establish healthy stands of milkweed for the butterflies to lay their eggs and for the caterpillars to eat and grow on. However, we need large quantities of healthy milkweed seeds from all species and from all over the country. If you know of wild milkweed near you, or have milkweed growing in your garden, please watch for the seed pods to develop and start to dry and split. When they are ripe, collect them in a paper bag or cardboard box and label them as to variety and location collected. Then you can mail them to Monarch Watch or make them available to other gardeners for postage here on GW. Watch out for the milkweed beetles that hide in the pods and ruin the seeds. Post here if you have seed but don't know what to do with it. Martha |
Here is a link that might be useful: Monarch Watch
Follow-Up Postings:
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 12:10
| There's tons of milkweed on the side of the roads all over. If they are scarce, it's not because there is a lack of milkweed. I just read an article that said many butterflies were killed because of cold weather and drought last year. This year there was a very cold spring too. Why are people acting like there is a shortage of milkweed that caused it? |
This post was edited by echinaceamaniac on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 13:04
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- Posted by trovesoftrilliums 5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 17:31
| I also read about cold temps causing population decreases. But milkweed is dramstically decreasing across Iowa; I dont know about other states. When I see figures for the decrease in monarchs and the decrease in their host plant, yes, I suspect a causation. Almost 90% of Iowa is farmland much of which is planted in roundup ready crops, allowing for greater elimination of milkweed and other weeds. Here's a brief excerpt from a 2011 NY Times article which also claims that most monarchs hatch in the Midwest. The amount of milkweed on farms in Iowa declined 90 percent from 1999 to 2009, according to Robert G. Hartzler, an agronomist at Iowa State. His study, published last year in the journal Crop Protection, found milkweed on only 8 percent of the corn and soybean fields surveyed in 2009, down from 51 percent in 1999. |
Here is a link that might be useful: NY Times article
This post was edited by trovesoftrilliums on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 17:51
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 17:40
| That's talking about farms. They grow crops on farms. Surely, they wouldn't grow milkweed. Also...The NY Times is not exactly the most honest news source. They typically only show the extreme left wing views. Are we to send our seeds to farmers in Iowa? Also, since the population of the butterflies shrank so much why do they need more milkweed? Don't get me wrong. I love milkweed and butterflies, but this paranoia is bizarre. |
This post was edited by echinaceamaniac on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 18:02
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- Posted by trovesoftrilliums 5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 18:10
| Um, I don't really understand your comment. You said there is plenty of milkweed in your state and I am saying that milkweed in my state is decreasing according to university studies. If that milkweed is decreasing on farmland or public parks or back yards really doesn't matter. The butterflies don't care who owns the land. Of course farmers growing corn and soybean don't want to plant milkweed. But if almost 90% of the land in Iowa has had a dramatic decrease in the amount of milkweed (for whatever reason) I think it would be quite remarkable NOT to see an effect on monarch populations. The NY Times article has links to numerous articles with a variety of views expressed. If anything, I'd expect the journal of crop protection to be quite conservative. Here's the abstract from the article in the journal of crop protection, a peer reviewed scholarly journal, if you prefere that source. The role of common milkweed in the lifecycle of the monarch butterfly has increased interest in the presence of this weed in the north central United States. An initial survey conducted in 1999 found that low densities of common milkweed occurred in approximately 50% of Iowa corn and soybean fields. In 2009, common milkweed was present in only 8% of surveyed fields, and the area within infested fields occupied by common milkweed was reduced by approximately 90% compared to 1999. The widespread adoption of glyphosate resistant corn and soybean cultivars and the reliance on post-emergence applications of glyphosate for weed control in crop fields likely has contributed to the decline in common milkweed in agricultural fields. |
Here is a link that might be useful: Hartzler article (communication)
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- Posted by ken_adrian z5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 18:40
| two thumbs up on the veracity of the NYT .... and the same with whatever comes out of university .... every time i see any of these 'sky is falling' chicken little articles.. it usually takes me a very few minutes to find the statistics behind it all .... and then to find that they are so skewed... as to make the findings useless .... but also.. you city folk crack me up... half of my rural county is covered in milkweed.. the suggestion that it.. itself .... is dwindling makes me laugh ... but if it makes you happy to carry the banner.. all the power to ya ... and if you are in the area.. in the next week or two.. i could probably fill your trunk with seed pods.. i am actually thinking to burning them.. before they take over my 5 acres.. .the crop this year is ridiculous ... ken |
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- Posted by trovesoftrilliums 5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 19:07
| To each his/her own. I detected no paranoia in the original post. I also live in a rural county, one covered in crops. So I see rows and rows of soybeans and corn and mowed road sides. Boy, the US sure is a huge and varied country. I hope we can all appreciate that what we see in our little corner of the world is not universally experienced. And while I know there are plenty of screw ups (humanity has an ability to really royally mess up plenty!) I am highly grateful for the numerous medical advancements our universities have supported. To unilaterally dismiss university research is of course your prerogative, but many people rely on it. |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 19:37
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:44
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 20:34
| The butterflies froze. It has nothing to do with milkweed. I'll find the article I read about it. Farmers have been plowing fields for decades! I have never once seen milkweed growing in a cotton field, soybean field, or corn field either. It has nothing to do with Round-up either. Have any of you ever seen milkweed in a cotton field between the plants? I don't remember ever seeing it before Round-Up was invented. |
This post was edited by echinaceamaniac on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 21:01
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| Whether monarchs are dwindling or not, or milkweed is dwindling or not, I don't know... Maybe this source or that source is skewed but quite frankly, they all are. Left, right, middle, whatever, they all have an agenda to push otherwise they wouldn't be any different. At any rate... back to the subject at hand... I FOUND A MONARCH CATERPILLAR ON MY DILL PLANT!!!! |
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 21:40
| Maybe we need to plant dill. I have seen none on the milkweed. LOL. I wonder if Iowa has any Dill farms. Maybe they are hiding there. |
This post was edited by echinaceamaniac on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 21:49
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- Posted by trovesoftrilliums 5 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 22:22
| Dill is the favored host plant for swallowtail caterpillar which does look similar. Picture of the elusive crop weed milkweed in a corn field; now we have all seen one. You would think the round up ready seed had been a huge failure from the posts. Sales are strong because farmers growing these crops are better able to control weeds. Is it such a surprise that the product works? Milkweed is listed on Monsanto literature as one of the target crop weeds. Quote from Monsanto blog of farmer describing how they used to control milkweed before round up ready seed in case you still dont think milkweed exists as a crop weed (He describes many benefits of the seed and I think it is all around interesting and I want to add here that I am not evilizing round up ready seed. It is a complex situation, to say the least. I do not think there are any easy answers but honestly it baffles me that someone would be so opposed to considering the possibility that a product designed to get rid of weeds hasn't caused a decrease in those weeds, nonetheless, I wish you all the best): “The Weed Wiper would hold a 10 gallon tank of Roundup mix, and you could adjust it from six and a half inches to two and a half feet off the ground. There was a big sponge with lines feeding a 10 foot section that would get the Roundup to point of dripping. We had different weeds to control��milkweed and Canadian thistle. Milkweed was waxy on top, and the herbicide would run off it. The underside is more vulnerable, and it was a very effective tool to get to the underside. And farmers didn’t have any exposure to applicators. But now, that tool is in the shed because of biotech crops.” |
Here is a link that might be useful: Monsanto blog
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- Posted by Sammywillt NC IOWA . 4 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 22:35
| Gardening is an escape from politics for me so I'll back away from the comment Id like to make on the NYT . I have to say , I see more milkweed in my area now then I have in a decade . I don't know anyone who mows ditches around here except me ( I graze the ditch with sheep ) .Even tho. the sheep eat the milkweed it still grows backs very rapidly . Taken a few days ago  taken about 1/2 hr. ago  The stuff is so eager to grow that its common to see it growing on the shoulder of the road  Regardless ,... I dig the fact that people care enough about an insect that they will go out of their way to plant a plant for it ...As long as it doesn't get militant , I think thats pretty cool |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 22:58
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:45
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sat, Aug 3, 13 at 23:13
| I highly doubt those little milkweeds in a field that size would feed that many butterflies. When they come through with the corn pickers they are going to tear them up too. What happens if there are butterflies on them then? If there is no milkweed in the field, there is no risk of the farmer harming the insects on the milkweeds. It would make more sense to plant milkweed on the perimeter of the field out of the way of the crop and the equipment. The point I was trying to make is if there are less butterflies, there shouldn't need to be as much milkweed to feed less butterflies. Less butterflies would need less food. |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:06
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:46
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:15
| All joking aside...I will be glad to share seeds with anyone who sends me an addressed envelope with postage! |
This post was edited by echinaceamaniac on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:38
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:40
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:47
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 0:52
| That is so interesting. I have heard of climbing ones but never saw one. |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 1:02
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:48
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- Posted by echinaceamaniac 7 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 1:26
| Do you see the Monarch caterpillars on it too? |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 2:00
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:49
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| Don't remember seeing climbing milkweed in South Dakota when growing up on the farm. We would pick the pods and rub the silky strands between our fingers and blow the seeds into the air. Mostly they grew in ditches, soil banks, tree claims and along the dirt roads between fields. We cultivated between rows of corn which reduced the mw in the fields. Now they spray for weeds. I planted some common milkweed in my garden many years ago as was concerned when stands of mw and thistle became scarce as land around us was developed. Rarely see any in the area now. There have been monarch caterpillars munching on the leaves. It may not make a big difference in the long run but it does help keep butterflies coming to my gardens. Common milk weed in the garden isn't for everyone as it needs to be controlled. Left on it's own it will spread by the roots and self seed. I keep the flowers deadheaded to prevent seed blowing into my neighbors' gardens and yards. I also grow fennel for swallowtail caterpillars and other plants as well as assorted nectar plants for a variety of insects. There may be fewer butterflies today due to weather last year. This doesn't mean we need less milk weed next year as when the butterflies numbers increase they will need more milk weed than that which can support those we have today. Plan for the future. |
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- Posted by GreatPlains1 (My Page) on Sun, Aug 4, 13 at 13:52
| delete post |
This post was edited by GreatPlains1 on Wed, Sep 4, 13 at 4:50
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