Butterflies in manicured suburban habitats
Paul Cherubini
monarch at saber.net
Fri Jan 11 07:52:11 EST 2002
Ron wrote:
> I bet a lot of people in the Keys area who want to see
> the cute little blue protected are unknowingly killing them
> off by making sure the ugly Balloon Vine stays off their
> yard's fence, golf course, highway right of way, and any
> where else that might ugly up the renowned manicured look
> most of south Florida loves.
I agree Ron, in regard to the Miami Blue. Some other kinds of
butterflies, however, manage to do fine in manicured suburban
landscapes. Below, for example, are some photos I took a few
weeks ago (Dec. 26) at the famous monarch overwintering site
in Pacific Grove, California.
150 years ago relatively few humans lived in Pacific Grove and the
monarchs overwinterered in undeveloped Monterey Pine forests
that looked approximately like this:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/forest.JPG
In recent decades, Pacific Grove has been completely built out
yet the butterflies still come and "butterfly zone" signs are placed in
the streets: http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/butterflygroveinn.JPG
The monarchs cluster on the limbs of pine trees situated right
above the roofs of residential homes:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/house.JPG
Here is a closer view of the butterflies clustering above the same roof
as in the last photo:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/pinecluster.JPG
The monarchs also cluster in Australian eucalyptus trees
growing in the residential backyards of Pacific Grove:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/eucalyptusclusters.JPG
Monarchs find an ample supply of nectar in the yards of the homes
and businesses of Pacific Grove:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/jewelhouse5.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/rosemary%203%20best.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/side.JPG
Monarchs bask on the roofs and siding of the homes.
Here a front porch hanging planter has lots of monarchs:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/hangplanter.JPG
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/planter2.JPG
Monarchs also obtain drinking water from the overnight dew
that developes on residential lawns:
http://www.mindspring.com/~cherubini/pool.JPG
Based on this evidence, I think it is reasonable to conclude the
original forests where monarchs overwinter can be radically altered
and developed without significant harm to the butterflies. Also it
seems obvious that overwintering monarchs can coexist with
intense human activity around them.
Butterfly conservation organizations don't see it this way. For some
unknown reason they are unwilling to publicly acknowledge that
real estate developement and other forms of intense human activity
are compatible with monarch overwintering. Instead, they view
real estate development and human activity as a serious threat to the
overwintering monarchs.
Example: Dr. O.R. (Chip) Taylor says:
http://www.monarchwatch.org/conserve/index.htm
"Monarch populations are even more vulnerable in their overwintering
sites. In the coastal forests, Monarchs find forests with all the
right characteristics for overwintering. Many people, however,
would also like to live along the California coast, which raises
property values and increases the pressure to build, remove
trees, and otherwise develop the land. Although there has
been some progress towards protecting Monarch overwintering
sites in California, high property values and the resulting pressure to
develop land along the coast continue to threaten Monarch habitat."
In February this year I will be going to the monarch overwintering
sites in Mexico and hope to come back with alot of good photos
of the monarch situation down there.
Paul Cherubini
Placerville, Calif.
------------------------------------------------------------
For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:
http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl
More information about the Leps-l
mailing list