Sunday, August 11, 2013

Monarch Butterfly

How many of you knew that monarch butterflies, bees and even bats are great pollinators but they are approaching to extinction. Which for me it is sad when I read this news a year ago. My purpose of having a flower and vegetable garden is for bees and butterflies to pollinate and have life not extinction. I let grow of my broccoli,bokchoy and other veggies to flower so bees and butterflies enjoy it. I think we have to take care of these little creatures they take care of us without us not taking pride of it or thinking about it.

(NaturalNews) You have likely seen them dancing through the air and gracing the petals and leaves of various plants and shrubs. But a new study published in the journal Insect Conservation and Diversity says that the popular Monarch butterfly, which is an absolute necessity for farmers, is on the decline. And the cause? Genetically-modified (GM) crops like corn, soy, and cotton, which today blanket millions of acres of American cropland.

Though not necessarily in the same vein as bees and bats, Monarch butterflies are still considered to be migrational pollinators. They travel very long distances and often inadvertently pollinate various flowers and plants. But Monarchs rely on milkweed plants to breed -- milkweed is actually the only plant on which Monarch larvae can feed -- and the use of pesticides in GM agriculture is contributing to the elimination of milkweed, and thus the elimination of Monarchs.

The study explains that during the 2009 - 2010 Monarch overwintering season, which represents the time during which eastern North American Monarch butterflies hold out through the winter in warmer Mexico, populations reached an all-time low. And while they increased slightly the following year, they still remained at dismally low levels.

Besides loss of forest in overwintering areas and continued land development, the report tacks the "expansion of GM herbicide-resistant crops, with consequent loss of milkweed host plants" as the culprit in declining Monarch butterfly populations. After all, Monsanto's Roundup herbicide specifically targets milkweed for termination, and roughly 150 million pounds of the poison are applied to US cropland every year.

If GM crops continue to take over the whole of agriculture with great strides, as they continue to do, Monarch butterflies (as well as bees and bats), may eventually become extinct. And without these pollinators, of course, it will be no longer possible to grow food.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/033170_GMOs_butterflies.html#ixzz2bKU91iXc



I was behind the window when I took this photos. 




10 comments:

Jeannie Marie said...

Oh foolish man trying to grow imitation crops and thinking it a success. The fallout is great, not only in the loss of insects who can't dine on their blossoms, but to people who should not eat the product. A thoughtful post. Happy Monday Mellow Yellow!

Jim said...

Beautiful.

Deli said...

I love butterflies :) I only learned now that monarch butterflies are near extinction. I hope we could all somehow contribute towards preserving their kind. Found your post from Mellow Yellows :)

Lea said...

I just started growing various milkweeds and butterfly weeds this year. How I wish I had started sooner!
Have a wonderful week!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie

Jama said...

Beautiful butterfly.

Don Wood said...

Happy Ruby Tuesday from England UK please visit my Promote Thanet Blog

Linnea said...

I haven't seen too many butterflies this summer! Nice capture!

Gemma Wiseman said...

Sighting a butterfly is a rare event on my peninsula. Lovely photos!

eileeninmd said...

Beautiful butterfly images, Kim! It does seem like the Monarch butterfly is struggling, it would be sad to see it become extinct.

Leovi said...

Yes, beautiful butterflies, I like!

Bluebird

Again, watching my backyard birds this morning. And as I was watching a small cutie pie Bluebird passed the window. I grabbed my camera and ...

Labels