#2389 "Monarch Throne"

 

The milkflower plant is another of my natural friends. The milkflower is not a noxious and invasive species even though the four letter word "weed" does appear in its more accepted name. This beneficial plant is a member of the genus Asclepias and is well known to be attractive to many insects. There are more than one hundred species of milkweed native to North America and none of them are considered "noxious weeds ". The monarch butterfly in particular can not survive without the milkweed as its host. Accordingly, the milkflower is an essential in any butterfly garden. 

I do my very best to encourage the milkflower. The Grandkids have all been taught how to open a milkflower pod and scatter the contents to the winds. It is fun for the kids and great for nature. This particular milkweed was on the edge of the green lawn. There are many thousand more milkweeds scattered throughout the property making the Singleton Sanctuary an important stop on the Monarch Highway. 

Several of the United States have partnered to create a Monarch Butterfly Highway to facilitate the long migration of the monarch butterfly. Canada could learn from their example. The first Mexican wintering site was discovered in 1974 by Frederick Urquhart of the University of Toronto after 40 years of research. The US National Wildlife Federation has been working with the state departments of transportation from Texas to Minnesota along Interstate 35 to coordinate the Monarch Highway effort. The NWF-designed Monarch Highway logo was officially adopted and announced in 2017 during pollinator week June 19th-23rd. The state departments of transportation promote natural habitat and conservation in their rights of way. The Interstate 35 as Monarch Highway initiative is an example of a recent coordinated effort across six states – Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota – to provide habitat for the rapidly declining monarch butterfly. This iconic species makes a multi-generational three thousand mile migration in the fall to Mexico and in the spring back up to Canada. Threatened with widespread habitat loss, increased use of pesticides, and climate change impacts, monarchs have suffered upwards of a 90% population decline in the last few decades. 

Monarch Migration Routes

The early North American settlers called these large colourful butterflies "King Billys" after William of Orange who became the English King in 1689. The name gradually morphed to "Monarch" which means King or Queen. I used this concept to describe the milkflower as the regal throne since this particular butterfly is so dependent on this special plant. 

The decline of insects and birds is a hotly-debated issue. It is important to remain informed. The corporate game plan is simple and has been played without variation on many occasions when their self-centred profits where threatened. (from “The Optimistic Environmentalist” by David R. Boyd ) 

• Deny the existence of any problems.
• Pay charlatan scientists to lie and say their products or emissions are safe.
• Finance scientific journals with official-sounding titles to publish bogus articles based on junk science.
• Buy the support or acquiescence of politicians and bureaucrats. 

Far worse has been done as well but few have been held responsible which casts concerning doubts about the independence of the judiciary. 

This same game plan has been employed in cigarettes, automotive pollution, fossil fuels, abstetos, climate change and a host of different issues. Simply, industry generously funds and promotes views that refute the observations. Industry lobbyists ensure that confusion and dithering results within the ranks of the policy makers and even the general population. Anti-biotechnology activist groups have singled out the herbicide glyphosate as a major driver of the decline while other groups demand more research before any decision can be made. The sad result is similar to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The monarch and the milkweed has become symbols for the the struggle between nature and corporate interests. This battle was well described by Rachel Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) in her many writings but most notably in her seminal book "Silent Spring" published just two years before her death from cancer. 

The health of nature and the planet has degraded since then. Power has not shifted from corporate interests and the transition to a circular, green economy has yet to occur. Some have become more enl
ightened in the half century since "Silent Spring". There is hope as long as we remain informed by fact. 

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