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.

 
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