May 2021 | Vol. 01 Iss. 03
FREE UTAHNS DO THEIR PART TO HELP SAVE THE NEARLY EXTINCT MONARCH BUTTERFLY By Karmel Harper / k.harper@mycityjournals.com
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heir signature bright orange wings with black borders and veins have adorned colorful flowers and gardens throughout the world for millions of years. Their striped caterpillars (larvae) with voracious appetites for milkweed, their only food source, have entertained school-children as they watched them grow exponentially in a matter of days. Their green chysalides with gold speckles rival any sparkling jewel. Their annual migration where they fly thousands of miles to warmer climates is a phenomenon that continues to fascinate scientists. Even just a generation ago, monarch butterflies were plentiful in Utah during the summer months. Today, monarch sightings are rare and the beautiful species is dangerously close to becoming extinct. “There was never a spring at Kaysville Elementary growing up when we did not have four – five milkweed stems in class waiting for a caterpillar to complete its metamorphosis,” said Nephi Harvey of Kaysville. “Even though we still have milkweed all over the farm I rarely see a chrysalis anymore.” “We had tons of milkweed at the bottom
of what now is 200 North,” said Cricket Harvey-Longaker of Kaysville. “We would throw it out to seed. In 15 years, we never saw a caterpillar but we would have a couple of butterflies come through every year. It was nothing like growing up. We would be eating breakfast and my mom, a first-grade teacher, would tell us to go grab a caterpillar and some milkweed for her class. It was that easy to grab it between breakfast and leaving for school. It makes me sad.” Scientists and conservation organizations track the monarch population based on the count of butterflies that make it to their overwintering sites. Monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains typically migrate to Mexico. Monarchs west of the Rocky Mountains, such as Utah monarchs, typically migrate to California. On Jan. 19, 2021, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation reported only 1,914 western monarch butterflies were recorded overwintering in California during their Thanksgiving 2020 count. Just a year prior, they reported 21,944 western monarchs. This constitutes a 90%+ population decline in only 12 months. Even more breathtakContinued page 11
Local Postal Customer ECRWSS Scan Here: Interactive online edition with more photos.
Monarch enthusiasts will raise monarchs from eggs indoors to increase their chance of survival and witness their beautiful metamorphosis. Photo by Karmel Harper.
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