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Posted in Interesting Bugs

Nearly One Billion Monarch Butterflies, 90 Percent of Population, Have Disappeared Over Past 25 Years

If any insect can be called iconic, it is the monarch butterfly. The butterflies, with their large orange and black wings, are easily one of the most recognizable insect species in the United States, and they have been a familiar sight around much the country for generations. But the monarch butterfly is now threatened like never before. Over the last 25 years, nearly one billion butterflies have disappeared, a population decrease of over 90 percent. There are only about 30 million monarch butterflies left, and they are now at the center of $3.2 million restoration effort and may soon be listed as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. How did we get here?

Posted in Caterpillars Earthworms Worm Castings

Monarch Caterpillars and Worms

Most gardeners, nature lovers, and others take joy in observing monarch caterpillars as they transform into butterflies, and flutter around gardens and trees. Worms, earthworms in particular, may not be as beautiful as monarch caterpillars, but they are crucial to maintaining beauty in our environment as well.