I live in an area that witnesses monarch butterfly migration annually. The bright orange and black beauties travel from Mexico upwards towards Canada each spring, returning in the fall. Not all make it, of course, and there are some that stay in a relatively local area all of their lives. But I find it to be one of the grreat migrations of the world, and always look forward to their springtime explosion.
That hasn't been the case in recent years, as global warming, farm chemicals and changing predators have severely reduced their population to put them on the endangered spieces list. I've done my part by growing the only food they consume, milkweed, on my property. In particular, narrowleaf milkweed. This perennial plant dies off each fall, looking like a dead, trashy plant ready to pull. But many mediterranean climate plants can be like that. Their root systems are special. Even if the above-ground stems are burnt, the underground roots will allow it to grow again in the spring.
Growers offer what's called ornamental milkweed plants. They have prettier flowers, and are much heartier, but they are not a good for the monarchs. Please don't plant them.
Once a monarch caterpillar eats its fill, it ventures off to pick a location to form its chrysalis. The majority are somewhat hidden, protecting them from being eaten by birds and the like. Unfortunately, others are hangin in plain sight, a perfect snack for the needy.
My neighbor devised a plan to help out these poorly placed infants. He uses dental floss to remove poorly located chrysalis, them hangs them on the basket seem here. The basket is kept in a safe place for them to mature, hatch, let their wings unfurl and dry in the sunshine, and fly away. It's likely that this process produces an additional 50 or so butterflies that likely would have become food for others.
