Planting flowers for the monarch butterfly

The monarch butterfly is one of the biggest and most common butterflies in North America and considered America’s national butterfly. Sadly, scientists predict that it could face extinction from the eastern United States in just twenty years time. 

In the past, Taiwan was also home to the monarch butterfly, but it was officially declared extinct during the 1960s, an era in which extensive land development and the widespread use of herbicides caused a huge adverse impact on the environment. Unfortunately, during that time, Asclepias curassavica – commonly known as tropical milkweed – the only food source of the monarch butterfly larvae, was gradually eradicated from Taiwan, resulting in the decimation of this stunning species of butterfly. 

This year, monarch butterfly conservation groups have been springing up all over America and many websites are providing free tropical milkweed seeds. Families are being encouraged to grow the plant in their backyards to save the monarch butterfly, as well as to provide nectar for other species of butterfly. A good way to increase survival rates of the monarch butterfly is to build a protected area for the larvae, llowing them to safely pupate inside. 

Planting flowers for the monarch butterfly

URL：https://www.peopo.org/news/314023

(以下為中文報導)

帝王斑蝶-為了蝴蝶種花吧！

帝王斑蝶是北美最常見也是最大的蝴蝶之一，他是美國的國蝶，但科學家預測二十年後帝王斑蝶有可能在美東滅絕，台灣曾經也有帝王斑蝶的蹤影，但在1960年代，就正式宣布在台絕跡。因為帝王斑蝶的幼蟲只吃馬利筋的葉子，隨著土地開發、除草劑的使用，這種高韌度的野花馬利筋也逐漸消失，幼蟲唯一的食草不足，導致它們無法繁衍後代。

近年來，美國各地開始出現保育帝王斑蝶的團體，在網路上就可以找到許多免費贈送馬利筋種子的網頁，他們鼓勵每家都在後院種一些馬利筋，讓帝王斑蝶能夠延續下去，也讓其他蝴蝶有蜜源植物可以存活。為了讓帝王斑蝶能夠提高他的生存率，製作幼蟲保護區也是一個不錯的選擇，讓他們可以在裡面安全的化蛹。