by Sara Dykman
Finding Inspiration
Sometimes the weight of the world feels impossibly heavy. I listen to the news, I breathe in the smoke of another California fire, I watch entitled people take without giving, and I toy with the idea of giving in to giving up. Yet, always I find someone to clear the cobwebs from my path and push me forward. I find motivation in metamorphosing frogs, storm-rattled trees, and caddisfly larvae spinning shelters of silk and stones. This weekend it was an impassioned group of people lifting me up and pushing me forward. For three days teachers, plant producers, farmers, researchers, citizen scientists, master gardeners, conservation specialists, and Monarch Watch volunteers gathered in Lawrence, KS to talk science, give thanks, and celebrate 30 years of Monarch Watch.
Me and Chip at Monarch Watch’s 30th anniversary celebration
Monarch Watch, founded in 1992 by Chip Taylor, is responsible for inspiring some 47,700 native gardens, for tagging nearly 2 million monarchs, and for adding much to our understanding of monarch science. Thus, it is obvious why Chip has become the leader many of us turn to. During the event he step up to the plate once again, sharing science, cracking jokes, and delivered a rally cry with a story.
The story began in the forest of Mexico back in 1997. After a conference, he and his colleagues went to visit the monarchs. As one would expect, they entered the sanctuaries with their heads tilted to the sky. Above them thousands of extraordinary butterflies rested secure in their achievement. They had survived thousands of extraordinary miles and one leg of their extraordinary migration.
Amid the marvel, Chip heard a rustling sound. The sound pulled his attention to his feet, where a broken-winged monarch struggled, unable to fly. The flapping was a futile attempt at carrying on. Just days after arriving, that butterfly was destined to die. Like so many butterflies that brave the journey, their migration would end in the mountains of Mexico. Humbled by the determination of a dying butterfly, Chip adopted that same determination.
Fast forward to 2022 and Chip is the definition of humble and determined. So, I wasn’t sad when he announced that he was looking for someone to take the reins and lead the next chapter for Monarch Watch. At 85 years old, I know Chip won’t stop fighting. With decades to prove it, I know that even when he isn’t the director of Monarch Watch, he will be still be there, offering guidance to those of us fighting in our own ways.
So, in the company of role models, I send messages of thanks on the wings of migrants and move forward like a monarch in a windstorm. I follow the lead of people like Chip, who have been fighting for more years than I have been alive. I follow the monarchs, who remind me that even as we face doom and gloom we are life force that is strong.
Learning Monarch Science
The brilliance of folks at Monarch Watch is that they invite the public to participate in conservation AND science. During their anniversary celebration they invited 12 researchers to present their data at a mini symposium. Since I find that the more I know about the science of the migration the more I am held in rapture. The details define my love. Here is a sampling of some of what I learned:
• Patrick Anthony Guerra spoke about the effects of light pollution on the monarch migration. I had incorrectly assumed that diurnal species wouldn’t be effected by artificial lights. Quite the opposite appears to be true. Artificial lights are causing jet-lagged butterflies. Their circadian clocks and sun compasses are going haywire in the presence of urbanization. They seem to treat artificial light like it is the sun, upsetting when and where they fly. Turn off the lights!
• Kelsey Fisher explained her research into how monarchs move across fragmented habitats. Her research suggests that monarchs can find very isolated habitats, but often will spend a lot of energy looking for them. If we can plant small gardens like stepping stones (about 50 m apart), then the monarchs can spend more time laying eggs/nectaring and less time looking.
• Tori Pocius broke down how different milkweed species affect the metabolic rate and flight muscles development of monarchs. Turns out some milkweeds cost the monarchs more energy to eat, especially species with higher carotenolide toxins. Tropical milkweed had the highest maintenance cost for monarchs. In the end, I took away that we should plant a range of native milkweed species to give monarchs options and give monarchs the opportunity to have a variety of costs and benefits.
• Karen Oberhauser, John Pleasants, Pete Berthelsen, and Wendy Caldwell all emphasized that saving the monarch is an ALL HANDS ON DECK situation. We need everyone at the table, because we need to plant over ONE BILLION MILKWEED stems.
• Monarch Joint Venture provide a review of current research. Check it out at: https://monarchjointventure.org/images/uploads/documents/2021_Monarch_Research_Review.pdf
Class dismissed, I also spent a morning tagging butterflies. I’m shaking my head that it took me soooo long to join the fun. Because of the successful turnout, all four of the monarchs I caught were already tagged. Afterwards, I bought a net, tags, and struck out for the garden at Monarch Watch. There I caught and tagged 10 male monarchs in quick succession. My only regret is that Chip Taylor watched me miss an embarrassing amount. Turns out 10 years of swinging a net to catch frogs doesn’t translate to catching monarchs. Thus, it’s time for me to go outside and practice.
And of course there was food! Lots and lots of food!