Expanding Monarch Habitat



One of my favorite scenes in our backyard is the sight of beautiful flying creatures all around the flowers in our garden on a warm early summer afternoon.

Most of the time, these are small moths/butterflies.
(see https://matthonnold.blogspot.com/2018/09/picture-94-skippers.html)


However, every once in awhile, a monarch will show-up.

And folks, the sight of that is pretty darn cool.


That said, it was nice to see this in the news yesterday:

Migrating monarch butterflies to find expanded habitats

Monarch butterflies expected to appear in the Midwest and northeastern United States in the next few weeks can expect help with their habitats this year along U.S. highways, railroad embankments and electrical corridors.

Now that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering listing the monarch as protected under the Endangered Species Act, transportation agencies, railroads and energy companies have agreed to create monarch-friendly habitats for the butterflies and other pollinators on millions of acres of rights-of-way.

"By removing uncertainty and creating habitats, [this agreement] encourages a place for monarch butterflies and will hopefully eliminate their need to be listed on the Endangered Species Act," said Melissa Savage, director of the Washington, D.C.,-based American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials Center for Environmental Excellence.

Read more about this cool initiative:


Fly, monarch, fly!


Grace & Peace & Love to you all -

Matt