Article online since August 8th 2008, 7:00
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A Monarch Butterfly rests on a flower.
Butterfly Club lends Monarch a helping plant
Be the first to comment on this article
A Monarch Butterfly rests on a flower.
Butterfly Club lends Monarch a helping plant
Monarch butterflies have been spotted around Queens
County. In and around Caledonia, they have also been confirmed
breeding.The beautiful and mesmerizing Monarch Butterfly is a Species
at Risk in Nova Scotia. It is listed as "Special Concern" by COSEWIC,
the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
County. In and around Caledonia, they have also been confirmed
breeding.The beautiful and mesmerizing Monarch Butterfly is a Species
at Risk in Nova Scotia. It is listed as "Special Concern" by COSEWIC,
the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.
“This amazing creature travels over 5,000 km in
the fall, from Canada to Mexico”, says Brennan Caverhill, MTRI
volunteer and Species at Risk Stewardship Biologist in Kejimkujik
National Park – “It is sometimes known as 'the storm king'
because it is most active when the thunder rolls, and there is
electricity in the air.”
“The
Monarch is threatened by habitat loss throughout the wintering grounds
in Mexico, pesticide use along the migration route in the United
States, and similar factors here at home”, says Amanda Lavers,
Executive Director of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) in
Kempt.
That's why a group of people in Queens County and around
southwestern Nova Scotia have developed a "Butterfly Club" which
encourages members to plant their own butterfly garden, including
native plants like Yarrow, Asters, and Boneset. Adult butterflies feed
on the nectar-rich flowers, but the most important flowers are native
Swamp Milkweed plants, which have been grown by local organic farmers
at Wild Rose and Pleasant Hill Farms.
The Monarch relies
exclusively on Milkweed plants for growth and survival, because adults
will only lay their eggs on this plant. When caterpillars feed on
Milkweed leaves, they become poisonous to birds and other predators.
Caverhill
and Lavers are two of several biologists at Kejimkujik and MTRI who
have been encouraging Queens County residents to plant Milkweed in
their gardens. With help from volunteers and expert students from
Clarke Rutherford Elementary in Cornwallis, who planted their own
butterfly garden last year, a model garden was planted in June at MTRI.
Members who join the "Butterfly Club" agree to plant their own
chemical-free garden, and provide important habitat for the Monarchs
and many other butterfly species that call Nova Scotia home.
VanDyk'sHealth Juice Products have also joined the effort by planting a
similar garden in West Caledonia.
Caverhill and Lavers were recently grocery shopping in Caledonia and spotted numerous monarchs at Aunt Nettie's B&B.
Upon
closer inspection, they found a garden full of Milkweed, many small
green eggs on the undersides of the plant, and all kinds of fat yellow,
black, and white striped Monarch caterpillars. The new owners of Aunt
Nettie's, Pat and Chuck Groocock, were surprised about all the
attention.
“We were thinking of re-planting some of the
gardens, but now that we know how important the Milkweed is, we'll be
sure to keep it,” says Pat Groocock. “We're now full
fledged members of the Butterfly Club and we're learning about native
plants and insects that make this part of the world a special
place.”
As a fundraiser for MTRI, Diane Clapp has been volunteering her time at local farmers markets and selling swamp milkweed plants.
“By
encouraging the creation of more butterfly gardens among your family,
friends, and communities, the team hopes to spread beauty and awareness
about not only the Monarch Butterfly, but also other species at risk
throughout Nova Scotia,” says Clapp. “There are over 40
species at risk living in Nova Scotia, and we can do lots to
help!”
For more information about the club, species at risk, and MTRI, call 682-2371, check out www.speciesatrisk.ca and www.merseytobeatic.ca - and visit an organic farmer near you!
the fall, from Canada to Mexico”, says Brennan Caverhill, MTRI
volunteer and Species at Risk Stewardship Biologist in Kejimkujik
National Park – “It is sometimes known as 'the storm king'
because it is most active when the thunder rolls, and there is
electricity in the air.”
“The
Monarch is threatened by habitat loss throughout the wintering grounds
in Mexico, pesticide use along the migration route in the United
States, and similar factors here at home”, says Amanda Lavers,
Executive Director of the Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute (MTRI) in
Kempt.
That's why a group of people in Queens County and around
southwestern Nova Scotia have developed a "Butterfly Club" which
encourages members to plant their own butterfly garden, including
native plants like Yarrow, Asters, and Boneset. Adult butterflies feed
on the nectar-rich flowers, but the most important flowers are native
Swamp Milkweed plants, which have been grown by local organic farmers
at Wild Rose and Pleasant Hill Farms.
The Monarch relies
exclusively on Milkweed plants for growth and survival, because adults
will only lay their eggs on this plant. When caterpillars feed on
Milkweed leaves, they become poisonous to birds and other predators.
Caverhill
and Lavers are two of several biologists at Kejimkujik and MTRI who
have been encouraging Queens County residents to plant Milkweed in
their gardens. With help from volunteers and expert students from
Clarke Rutherford Elementary in Cornwallis, who planted their own
butterfly garden last year, a model garden was planted in June at MTRI.
Members who join the "Butterfly Club" agree to plant their own
chemical-free garden, and provide important habitat for the Monarchs
and many other butterfly species that call Nova Scotia home.
VanDyk'sHealth Juice Products have also joined the effort by planting a
similar garden in West Caledonia.
Caverhill and Lavers were recently grocery shopping in Caledonia and spotted numerous monarchs at Aunt Nettie's B&B.
Upon
closer inspection, they found a garden full of Milkweed, many small
green eggs on the undersides of the plant, and all kinds of fat yellow,
black, and white striped Monarch caterpillars. The new owners of Aunt
Nettie's, Pat and Chuck Groocock, were surprised about all the
attention.
“We were thinking of re-planting some of the
gardens, but now that we know how important the Milkweed is, we'll be
sure to keep it,” says Pat Groocock. “We're now full
fledged members of the Butterfly Club and we're learning about native
plants and insects that make this part of the world a special
place.”
As a fundraiser for MTRI, Diane Clapp has been volunteering her time at local farmers markets and selling swamp milkweed plants.
“By
encouraging the creation of more butterfly gardens among your family,
friends, and communities, the team hopes to spread beauty and awareness
about not only the Monarch Butterfly, but also other species at risk
throughout Nova Scotia,” says Clapp. “There are over 40
species at risk living in Nova Scotia, and we can do lots to
help!”
For more information about the club, species at risk, and MTRI, call 682-2371, check out www.speciesatrisk.ca and www.merseytobeatic.ca - and visit an organic farmer near you!
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