TO THE RESCUE:

Let's welcome the MONARCHS to our landscape

July 23, 2021

by Virginia Ruschhaupt/Victoria County Master Gardener

Edited by Suzanne LaBrecque/Victoria County Master Gardener

(Stay tuned for next week's article by Virginia Ruschhaupt.  You can read all about native Milkweeds, which are the host plants of Monarch butterflies and are great for growing in our gardens.)

PHOTO COURTESTY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

Monarchs, Danaus plexippus, from eastern U.S. and Canada approaching roosting sites in Mexico

GRAPH COURTEST OF CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

6 hectares or 14.8 occupied acres in Dec-Jan in Mexico are needed to get monarchs out of danger zone of extinction. An estimated number of butterflies can be compared from year to year in proportion to the number of acres or hectares occupied in Mexico.  Highest recorded number was 700 million to 1 billion in 1996-97; lowest was 34 million in 2013-14; 105 million in 2020-21 (various sources)

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK

The Life of the Monarch - Monarchs lay eggs on milkweed in the spring; caterpillar emerges in 4 days, gorges on milkweed 11-18 days; re-locates from milkweed to form chrysalis. Butterfly emerges in 8-14 days; Life span of the butterfly is 4 weeks for 1st to 3rd generations of the year. The 4th generation (late Aug.) makes the full fall migration without mating until spring, a lifespan of 8-9 months.  No one butterfly makes the full migration in the spring, but the trip is continued by successive generations. 

NECTAR FLOWERS FOR BUTTERFLIES

(most are summer to fall bloomers)

• Bee balm

• Bluemist flower

• Butterfly bush (Buddleia)

• Duranta erecta

• Fall aster

• Gayfeather

• Joe-Pye weed 'Gateway'

• Lantana

• Mexican mint marigold

• Pride of Barbados

• Purple coneflower

• Salvia /Sage

• Stiff goldenrod

• Sunflower

• Texas Vitex

• Turk's cap

• Verbena

• Yarrow

• Zinnia

Let’s roll out our Southern hospitality for the monarchs. Our guests from Canada and all states east of the Rocky Mountains will converge on Texas in September through early November on their flights to the oyamel fir forests in Central Mexico for the winter. Their destination is in the mountains, 2 miles above sea level. None of them have made the up to 3,000 mile flight south before. This epic migration has no comparison.

The trip used to be easier. Mother Nature and the environment have changed, making the trip much more hazardous. Their population has declined more than 90% in the last several decades. The monarch is on the verge of extinction. It may be too late for recovery.

Several factors contribute to the monarchs’ decline, including deforestation that has destroyed some of their overwintering habitat, extreme weather conditions and decline of milkweed.

Milkweed, the monarch’s only host plant, has significantly decreased because of the urbanization of farm and ranch land in the U.S., and changes in farming and ranching practices in the U.S., such as the use of pesticides.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, monarchs have lost 165 million acres of breeding habitat in the U.S. because of herbicides and development.

If we continue these trends, the monarch is doomed. However, we can become part of the solution by welcoming these visitors as they pass through our great state and assuring their needs will be met for a safe journey. Federal and state agencies are working together and request our assistance in the following:

Change farming and ranching practices
Allow pesticide-free spaces to plant native nectar plants and milkweed, such as turning rows, meadows and private roadsides.

Plant pesticide-free nectar gardens with blooms from spring through fall
The nectar provides monarchs energy for their journey. A 100-square-foot nectar garden in full sun would be ideal, but one can also simply add nectar flowers to existing gardens.

Since butterflies flit from one area to another, plant one species of flower in a clump — maybe three to seven plants — for high visibility. Add several other species nearby in similar clusters. Choose various heights and colors.

Since fall migration is quickly approaching, planting live plants may be a better choice than seeds for 2021.

Native plants are preferred. They require less maintenance, are less likely to disrupt the ecosystem and can thrive without pesticides. Although new hybrids display gorgeous blooms, many of our native plants are preferred nectar sources.

Assist our visitors by including shelter, windbreak and a puddling area of moist sand in your garden.

Plant native milkweed within your nectar garden
Monarch butterflies lay eggs exclusively on milkweed, so the tiny caterpillars have access to food as soon as they hatch.

Without an ample supply of milkweed in Texas, there will be no monarchs in the eastern U.S. The topic for Gardeners’ Dirt on July 30 will be selecting appropriate milkweed for the Victoria area.

Multiply your efforts
Teach others what you have learned. Get friends, schools and the community involved in creating monarch habitats. It will take all of us to rescue the monarchs.

The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901 or vcmga@vicad.com. 

A FEW SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR BUTTERFLY GARDEN

• Butterflies are attracted to blue, purple, yellow, and white blooms;

• Avoid spraying insecticides near the garden;

• Control fireants since they will destroy caterpillars;

• Avoid Bacillus thurengiensis (Bt) since it kills all caterpillars;

• Overhead watering degrades the nectar;

• Deadhead old blooms to encourage continued blooming;     

• Unless puddling area for butterflies is part of a water feature, it is best placed above ground (to reduce predators), possibly in a shallow dish, with the sand kept moist.

• When you purchase plants, check with the nursery to be sure they are pesticide free;

• Dense shrubs at the garden edge can provide protection and a wind break for the butterflies;

• Some monarch predators are wasps, praying mantis, toads, fireants, snakes, and lizards. Local birds usually recognize monarchs as toxic.

• Remember to include native milkweed in your garden!

SOME GREAT RESOURCES

1. The cycle of 4 to 5 generations of monarchs each year - Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources - https://dnr.mo.gov/education/monarchs/annual-cycle.htm  

2. Gardening for Monarchs https://monarchjointventure.org/images/uploads/documents/GardeningforMonarchs.pdf

3. Declining population 'Monarch numbers from Mexico point to declining population' - Xerces Society https://www.xerces.org/blog/monarch-numbers-from-mexico-point-to-declining-population

4. Everything you ever wanted to know about monarchs - just continue to follow the links ('about monarchs' and 'resources') - Monarch Joint Venture www.monarchjointventure.org