Seeing a monarch butterfly used to be quite common in the US, but now it's another story.
Their numbers are falling rapidly. In fact, their numbers have fallen by 90 percent in just 20 years. In California, in just one year, their numbers dropped 86 percent.
These butterflies are amazing creatures. They are the only insect that migrates to a warmer climate. In fact, National Geographic says, "It's one of the greatest natural events on Earth." The butterflies that hatch in North America in the late summer will migrate the entire way to Mexico, a journey that is around 3,000 miles.
Monarch butterflies are pollinators (授粉者) and help crops. But now they need our help, just like the bees. That's why I raise and set free monarch butterflies. However, 10 years ago, I didn't know a single thing about butterflies.
My husband has always collected monarch caterpillars to observe their changes. For Father's Day six years ago, I gifted him a box with painted lady butterflies. I didn't know much about butterflies at that time, but he showed me how to find monarch caterpillars and taught me about milkweed (马利筋). That is when we began raising a handful, seven or eight, monarch butterflies a year.
This year, I was determined to double that number. We saved all the milkweed that was growing around our house for the females to have plenty of options to lay their eggs and have food. Last year, I didn't find any monarch eggs until late August. This year, I started in the middle of July, and my intake is already over 200.
A female monarch butterfly will lay up to 500 eggs, one single egg at a time. Of all those eggs laid, only one or two per 100 survive to complete the full change.
These monarch butterflies are endangered, so I hope more people will join us.
