Monarchs and Monoculture in southern Michigan

[Roger Kuhlman]

We have a lot of agriculture in the four southeast counties of Michigan and 
this year unlike several recent years we have had a pretty good crop of 
Monarch butterflies. What I have noticed about their distribution is that 
where there is a lot of milkweed along the roads and in the fields there are 
a lot of Monarchs. In other areas with monocultures and no milkweeds, 
Monarchs are seldom seen. I would bet modern, high-tech agricultural 
practices have been greatly limiting the amount of Common milkweed growing 
in our area. 30 to 50 years ago there was probably much more milkweed here 
and many more Monarchs.

Roger Kuhlman
Ann Arbor, Michigan
8/19/2005



 
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