Save The Butterflies!

Have you ever heard of the "Butterfly Effect"? It's a theory that, when a butterfly flaps its wings, it creates small changes in the atmosphere which could eventually lead to changes in weather on the opposite side of the world! For instance, people have said that when a butterfly flaps its wings in the China, it may actually cause changes in the weather so as to make conditions perfect for a hurricane in the Caribbean. Is this theory really true? Well, there are scientists who would argue for and against it. But what I believe the theory is trying to say, is that the world is all connected, so much so that if a small creature does something as little as flapping its wings, it can cause much more than just letting that creature fly. It seems like everything is connected when you think about it. If an animal becomes extinct, other animals may suffer because they no longer have their prey to feed them. Or perhaps a flower becomes extinct and could have been used to cure a type of disease. We will never know if it is truly gone from the world. One such problem we face today is the possible extinction of the Monarch butterfly.

(Source: Brower et. al 2012 updated with data from the author for the past two years)

You may have heard that Monarch butterflies are some of the farthest-traveling creatures when the migrate. Some of them travel about 3,000 miles every year to migrate to Mexico for the winter. That's one LONG flight! They make stops in different places along their route in order to eat and gain the fuel they need to make the rest of their trip. Each year since 2003, the butterflies numbers have been declining. The number of butterflies has declined before, but never to the extent that they are now. In the last 20 years of scientists measuring the number of Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico, this past year (2012 - 2013) has been the absolute lowest. So what is causing this decline in Monarch butterflies?

There are theories (again with more theories!) that the butterflies are quickly declining because of a few things. One possible problem is deforestation in Mexico. The other two issues that scientists believe are causing the butterflies to die are recent bouts of poor weather conditions and the use of an Herbicide, named Roundup, that is killing the plants that Monarch butterflies need for breeding and surviving. That plant is the Milkweed plant.

I do believe that all of these things are likely to contribute to the death of many butterflies, but the one that seems most in our control here in the United States is stopping the use of Roundup. If you or someone in your family ever used Roundup, you know that it pretty much will kill ANY plant life with which it comes into contact. This stuff means business! The problem of course is, that while it may kill some of these "unwanted" things in your yard or garden, it is also causing much more harm than good. Our bodies are exposed to the harmful chemicals in this herbicide whenever it is used in areas that people may use. Also, other animals and insects may have far reaching consequences due to the exposure to the Roundup. If you don't think that this is a problem, perhaps you need to research this a little more and realize that these insects and creatures actually are helping to pollinate gardens to help grow your food and to provide other animals with their own food. It's a circle of life! Bigger animals may eat smaller animals or plants and those animals may be our own food! SO what happens if these animals are full of deadly chemicals because of what they ate? Guess what? Then you get to share in all those deadly chemicals too! Not a good idea.

So what can we do? Ask your parents, teachers, friends, and anyone else you know to stop the use of Roundup. There are other ways to rid a yard or garden of unwanted weeds! Just look it up on the internet! It's right at your fingertips. Also, if you are able to plant milkweed plants, it would help the butterfly population. The only problem is, you have to make sure to watch for when the plant goes to seed and take the seeds off and dispose of them properly, or you will eventually have a complete yard filled with milkweed! It is pretty invasive (which means it grows fast and easily).

So help a butterfly out and be aware of what you use in your yard. The wonderful and beautiful creatures are depending on us... and we are depending on them!

Hoping you have more (chemical-free) Backyard Adventures!
Cheryl


Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2008/06/08/the_meaning_of_the_butterfly/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/01/29/the-monarch-butterfly-population-just-hit-a-record-low-heres-why/
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2014/01/monarch_butterfly_decline_monsanto_s_roundup_is_killing_milkweed.html
http://action.sumofus.org/a/monsanto-is-killing-the-monarchs/
http://blumengardens.com/blog2/2011/09/01/native-plants-to-attract-butterflies/