If the current mortality rate for butterflies, particularly the Monarch, does not stop our children’s children will never see a butterfly other than in a picture book. When I was growing up there were butterflies everywhere. Now if I see any butterflies it is usually only one or two in the summer and it is the yellow and black ones.
When was the last time you saw so many colorful and beautiful butterflies? I don’t ever recall when. They are becoming extinct because of all the pesticides and herbicides being used like Monsanto’s Round Up and other brands like Enlist Duo. If everyone with a piece of land would plant a little milkweed instead of using pesticides or herbicides anywhere we could start to bring the butterflies back.
Let’s bring the butterflies and bees back by planting the milkweed and other flowers these industrious plant, flower and crop saving insects love because once gone they are gone forever.
A few states are now considering planting milkweed along their highways. This sounds good and well meaningful except if the herbicides and pesticides don’t kill them the traffic will. Perhaps if the farmers would plant the milkweed far enough away from the roadways it might reduce the mortality rate especially if the herbi/pesticides are not used.