Where have all the Monarchs gone?

As the summer of 2013 winds down, a few things have become fairly obvious in the Midwest.  Monarchs have been nearly non-existent.  Ohio Lepidopterists have a strong core of citizen scientists tallying weekly butterfly counts.  None of my friends were reporting Monarchs in the early summer months.  I have seen only six Monarchs in all of Ohio this summer, and two of those were raised on my own property.

Easily the most recognizable  butterfly in the United States, our population of migratory Monarch butterflies is in deep decline. Not only are they suffering dramatic losses on their wintering ground in Mexico, our farm practices are decimating their chances for reproduction in the mid-west. 

Monarchs must have milkweed plants, and modern farming with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides have nearly wiped out Ohio's milkweeds, thereby striking a death-blow to Ohio's Monarchs.

Regal Fritillary nectars on Butterfly-weed milkweed (Pennsylvania.)

 Will Monarchs go the the way of Regal Fritillaries?  The most colorful members of the Fritillary family were extirpated from Ohio about 30 years ago; now one must travel to prairie remnants in Pennsylvania, Indiana, or much farther west to view this regal butterfly.

Prairies, filled with native grasses and flowering plants -including milkweed-  were once abundant in Ohio. However, we have lost 99.9 percent of Ohio's prairies to "progress", just as agriculture and urbanization have claimed most prairies elsewhere in the mid-west and west.

If we have lost 99.9 percent of our prairies, is it any wonder that we are losing our "prairie butterflies" as well?

Prairie soils are perfectly suited for crops of another grass: maize, or our modern day corn.  Unfortunately modern chemicals "weed" out the milkweed, unlike the corn fields* of my childhood Ohio.  Milkweed used to readily grow along the field edges and in the ditches along the road.  Now, it is only found in abandoned lots and butterfly gardens.

*The corn in my neighborhood is also terrifyingly silent this year.  Where are the crickets, grasshoppers, katydids and bees of my youth?  Monarchs may only be the first blow to the eco-systems in our region. 

Monarch caterpillar feeds on Common Milkweed in Richland County, Ohio.

There a several varieties of milkweeds, the host plant for Monarchs.  Their caterpillars thrive on milkweed in spite of the "milky" white toxic sap the plant produces to ward off other herbivores.

 No milkweed- no Monarchs. 

Bon voyage!  Safe journey to Mexico!

Most years in the past, many, many Monarchs have fed upon the nectar of milkweeds and laid eggs on my pesticide-free milkweeds.  This year, I have seen only two caterpillars.  I raised both of them indoors, away from predators.  Normally, I let nature take care of her own, but this year the Monarchs seem to need every break we can possibly give them, if we hope to have migrating monarch for future generations.  We may feel helpless to change the way farmers manage their lands, but we can still make a difference if we all do two very simple things.

1. Plant more milkweed in our yards and gardens. 

2. Stop using pesticides, fungicides and herbicides on your lawn and landscape.  It can be done, and you and the butterflies will be healthier for it.

Changing your own yard is the first step to changing the world.

My, what a huge 'beak you are!

There's been a bit of a stir in the uplands of Mohican.  We have visitors from the Great North, the likes of which we have not seen for quite a few years.  The Evening Grosbeaks, Coccothraustes vespertinus have returned in good number again- for the first time since 2008.

And these eye-blinding photos, provided by uber photographer Dane Adams are almost better than seeing them in person!   These 'beaks are winter birds and they usually arrive in a blowing snow, or sleet or...worse.  But if the weather cooperates enough to get to them, they are hard to miss. They're the size of a black-bird, with the bill of cardinal and all colored-up like a summer goldfinch!

Evening Grosbeak, photo by Dane Adams

Evening Grosbeaks are a northern bird, well known for their winter visits to the lower 48. Perhaps, they enjoy a little break from the Canadian cold. It was predicted early on, this year would be a good for seeing winter finch and grosbeak irruptions into Ohio.  Many years past years it was not unusual for folks in New York, Pennsylvania and even some areas of Ohio to see the birds.  However, in recent years their appearances have dramatically declined.

Evening Grosbeak, Photo by Dane Adams

These gorgeous gluttons are known for cleaning out bird seed in record time!  They prefer flat surfaces for feeding, like a platform/tray feeder, or a picnic table or deck.  The are not as likely to come into traditional feeders with a covered roof.

You can't blame them for wanting to be out in the open, after all- they are quite glamorous! 

Grosbeak gathering, photo by Dane Adams

If you come to Mohican State Forest in Ashland County, Ohio in hopes of seeing the birds- let me give you a few tips.  Look for gatherings in the tree tops.  Evening grosbeaks like to T-up in the trees between feedings and they are pretty conspicuous, too!

Mohican map to Grosbeak treasure.

 You can download a map to the Mohican State Forest right here.  Park nearby in the Gorge Overlook parking lot; this is also a good spot for Red and White-winged Crossbills!

You will hike from the parking lot to the west, it is less than a 1/2 mile.  The tall pines along the road provide some of the best scenery and birding in Ohio. The optimum time of day is between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m., when this particular flock is known to feed. Watch all along the ornamental shrubs and crab apple trees.  I have seen the birds directly above me next to the road.

Evening Grosbeak (EVGR), Dane Adams

It is obvious why everyone has gone ga-ga over these birds.  The plumage on the males is nearly blinding!  The females are more subdued, but still a very good looking bird.

Audubon Christmas Birds Counts have noted these 'beak sightings are in great decline.  The numbers I find run around 90-91 percent reduction!  This could be a shocking warning to us that something is going on.  Are they irrupting into our territory less, or have their numbers totally plummeted?  These are questions for inquiring minds (but I doubt you'll read it in the Inquirer.) 

 If you are interested in the trends- go here for a fabulous study by BirdSource created by Audubon and Cornell University.  I think you will find the maps most entertaining, and maybe it does not reflect a true decline in EVGRs.  It might mean there has been a change in their territories and there are just fewer here. Either way, we need to be protective of  the visitors we currently have.

Again, a special thanks goes out to Dane Adams, for allowing us to enjoy these photos.  They are almost as thrilling as seeing the actual birds!