NYC gardeners push 'year of the milkweed' to save monarch butterflies from extinction
The flitting fiery orange and black wings of the monarch butterfly, which once signaled the coming of spring, have become an increasingly rare sight.
Milkweed, which has pink flowers, is the monarchs’ main food source, nest, and nursery, and conservationists say its steep decline is closely related to dwindling monarch numbers. The new gardens on Governors Island add to more informal, piecemeal efforts by butterfly lovers and small organizations to plant milkweed around the city.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering whether the monarch should be added to the endangered species list. A decision is expected in September. The 300 square foot garden sanctuary hosted a few hundred monarchs in previous springs. Last year, only about five dozen monarchs were seen in the garden – an all-time low.
But this can actually do more damage. When monarchs are raised in close quarters, they can develop parasites that kill off the wild populations they come in contact with.Invasive insects also threaten monarchs, including mantises from China that have become a common sight in gardens. These well-camouflaged insects can get as big as 5 inches, larger than a monarch, whose wingspan can reach up to 4 inches. They consume the monarch’s body and leave behind its wings.
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