Help Available for Monarch Butterflies

You've heard about the steep decline in the Monarch butterfly population, there's a way you can help restore them.

"With Monarch Challenge we're providing tools and resources to farmers and members of farm families to help establish and conserve habitat for Monarch butterflies. This year, we're giving away flats of milkweed plants to the first thousand farmers and members of farm families to sign up to create habitat," said Laura Vance, Monarch Challenge biology project manager with BASF.

"The reason that we're sending out milkweed is because it's the only plant that Monarch butterflies will lay their eggs on. So, when the caterpillars hatch, they eat the leaves and the leaves have a toxin that make them toxic to predators. That's why the milkweed is so important, because it's the only larval host for the Monarch butterfly."

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service also has programs that aim to help landowners help Monarch Butterflies.  To learn more about BASF's program, check out their Facebook Page.

If you have a story idea for the Washington Ag Network, call (509) 547-1618, or e-mail gvaagen@cherrycreekradio.com