Tag Archives: Butterflies

Winged On The Web

Posted on by

monarch on laptop

The Monterey Regional Monarch Alliance’s new website, MRMAlliance.org, is a one-stop shop for finding volunteer opportunities, educational resources, and information on creating monarch habitats.

“Everybody can make a difference,” says Dr. Emily Zefferman, an ecologist at the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County. “Some people might not have the ability to go volunteer, but maybe they can plant some native plants in their garden. Some people might not be able to do that because they’re renters, but they can join a community science project or they could educate other people about monarch butterflies.”

Winged On The Web

Maybe The Rent Is Too GD High

Posted on by

Or their homes are being rented out to STRs.

Butterfly Molesting

Monarch butterflies are quite a sight to see, arriving mid-October and staying in the area through the end of February.

But, these butterflies are starting to dwindle.

“Ever since we began monitoring monarch butterflies — since the 1990s — what we have seen is a steep decrease in their population, an over 95% drop,” said Natalie Johnson, who works at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History.

What’s causing the drop in these species? There are a few factors…

“One of the reasons is habitat loss,” said Johnson. “Another is pesticides, and clime change.”

Maybe The Rent Is Too GD High

Oh What To Do About Zero Butterflies In Butterfly Town

Posted on by

Monarch Cluster

Why does no one recommend planting Monarch friendly eucalyptus trees?

Johnston remains hopeful that the community of Pacific Grove will continue its local efforts toward monarch conservation. “One of the most effective things people can do is to make their gardens and landscapes more pollinator-friendly. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and opting for native plants and flowers,” she recommended.

Oh What To Do About Zero Butterflies In Butterfly Town

Monarchs To Be Put On Endangered List

Posted on by

Follow The ButterfliesProbably can’t afford the rent.

“Ever scene we started monitoring the butterflies, what we have noticed is a steep decline in the number; an over 95% drop,” said Community Science Coordinator at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History Natalie Johnston.

Wednesday afternoon a swarm of Monarchs were fluttering throughout the sanctuary in Pacific Grove, but Johnston says there’s a number of reasons for their population drop.

“One of [the reasons] is habitat loss and in their northern ground where they migrate too,” said Johnston. “Another is pesticides, and then there is climate change, witch is impacting all creators.”

Monarchs To Be Put On Endangered List

No Privacy For Monarchs

Posted on by

Now people are encouraging others to peep into what the butterflies are doing and send paparazzi pics.

Monarch Molesting No Touch

The challenge seeks to fill a “data gap” in recorded sightings during March, April and May when monarchs are passing unseen between breeding sites.

Those looking to participate in the challenge can submit photos through the Western Monarch Milkweed Mapper project on iNaturalist — a crowdsourcing naturalist app jointly sponsored by the California Academy of Science and National Geographic — or by emailing them to MonarchMystery@wsu.edu.

No Privacy For Monarchs

Jimmy Panetta Using Butterflies To Get More Taxes

Posted on by

Awwww – congresscirtter wants to help the butterflies.

The Monarch Action, Recovery, and Conservation of Habitat (MONARCH) Act, introduced during last week’s session of Congress, would establish a western monarch butterfly rescue fund of $62.5 million released over five years. Funded projects would fill in information gaps and focus on the restoration of sensitive overwintering and breeding habitat to guard against future extinction.

Ohhhhh – by spending tax dollars for more government consultants.

When asked what the city of Pacific Grove might do with a portion of the proposed funds, Public Works management analyst Caleb Schneider said the city would be keen to hire additional consultants to assess their current conservation efforts and to invest in infrastructure such as irrigation for the sanctuary.

Jimmy Panetta Using Butterflies To Get More Taxes

Why So Few Monarchs?

Posted on by

Maybe the butterflies hate the tourists too. I certainly avoid places where they gather.

Butterfly Molesting

Roughly 30 people — sanctuary docents, volunteers and interested members of the public — gathered in the sanctuary Thursday morning to listen to Stuart Weiss, the chief scientist contracted by the city to develop long-term planning for the 2.5-acre site. Weiss described what goals he and the city want to accomplish to help monarchs, including dealing with tree species, microclimates and the plants monarchs rely on for nectar.

Why So Few Monarchs?

Politicizing The Butterfly

Posted on by

Butterfly Molesting

Ahhh politics. Here’s a the work of one that looks good

Assemblymember Mark Stone — whose district includes Pacific Grove’s Monarch Sanctuary — is pushing a bill, AB 2421, to protect the iconic black and orange insects. “As monarch butterfly populations decline, ecosystems across our state are at risk of collapse,” said Stone, who introduced the bill in February. “This measure provides grants and support to preserve and restore monarch and other pollinator habitats.

Then we see what it really is. Looks like another tax and spend project.

The bill would establish the Monarch and Pollinator Rescue Program, which would be overseen by the California Wildlife Conservation Board. The program would offer grants to farmers, ranchers, nonprofits and public agencies to pay for habitat restoration projects throughout the state.

Politicizing The Butterfly

Zombie Butterflies On The Loose

Posted on by

Zombie Butterflies

Probably birds. Wouldn’t it be odd if it was hawks brought in to control sea gulls finding the town’s symbol more tasty than gulls.

The butterflies are often found clinging to life — their abdomen removed with seemingly surgical precision.

“Their abdomen is just severed clean off, like you took it off with a scalpel,” says Stong, who is also the regional coordinator for the Xerces Society’s Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count.

Connie Masotti, a docent at the Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, has also found several of the gutless butterflies. Based on their observations, Masotti suspects that the predation happens just before sunrise, since the butterflies are still alive when the docents get to their stations in the early morning.

Zombie Butterflies On The Loose