Iowa State University and a number of other organizations are teaming together to save the population of the monarch butterfly.
Several departments of the Iowa State University in partnership with state agencies, conservation groups, farmers and more have formed The Iowa Monarch Conservation Consortium, which will focus on enhancing the reproduction and conservation of monarch butterflies.
The consortium hopes to connect urban and rural communities and ensure that monarch butterflies remain part of the Iowa landscape.
"The consortium will build on Iowa's experience in related conservation efforts and can make great strides in benefiting monarchs. We look forward to getting the word out to all Iowans about how they can help increase monarch habitat," says Joe McGovern, president of the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation.
The population of monarchs has declined significantly in the past few years. Conservationists blame the decline in the natural habitat and also the reduction in milkweed habitat. Experts say that monarch butterflies depend upon milkweed plants to lay their eggs so that the caterpillars receive appropriate nutrition.
The Iowa State University is expected to start research on cost-effective ways of developing and maintaining milkweed plants in rural as well as urban settings.
Sue Blodgett from the university's Department of Entomology reveals that the best available science needs to be deployed to improve the reproduction of monarchs in Iowa and throughout the nation.
In February this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also revealed its plans to conserve the declining population of monarchs in the country. The agency has also pledged $2 million for immediate conservation efforts for the monarchs.
"With the butterfly rapidly disappearing, I am pleased to see the Fish and Wildlife Service taking positive steps to reverse its decline. We must build on this momentum, and I will continue to call on the public and private sectors to join together in the effort to protect the monarch butterfly," says Sen. Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota.
Monarch butterflies usually migrate from the U.S. and Canada to Mexico in search of warmer weather during winter. The number of monarchs recorded in 1996 was more than 1 billion. However, a recent report notes that the latest yearly migration of the monarchs to Mexico had just around 56.5 million butterflies. The number is the second lowest on record.
Photo: Dwight Sipler | Flickr
