Genetically-Modified Crops == Drastic Drop in Monarch Butterflies?

[amborin]

(one factor, anyway)


Reserve saves trees but not monarch butterflies

snip

Last year, clusters of butterflies covered a total area equal to only about 1.9 hectares (4.7 acres), compared to about 8 hectares (almost 20 acres) in the 2008-2009 winter season. Experts say it is still too soon to estimate figures on this year's migration.

Monarch expert Lincoln Brower cites climate swings of wet and dry weather, storms that damaged the reserve, and the crowding out of the only plant the Monarchs lay their eggs on, the milkweed, by genetically-modified crops.

Javier Espinosa, the coordinator of statistics for Mexico's National Weather Service, said February 2010 — when most of the storm damage occurred — was the wettest on record for the area in 70 years. Brower thinks the February storms may have killed 30 percent of the butterflies.
Brower cautions that a cold snap, combined with wet weather and spotty tree cover, could be disastrous, freezing the Monarchs, but warmer weather could hurt them by making them more restive, burning up the fat reserves they need to fly north in the spring.

Any extreme variation in weather hurts the migration, and that is more or less what climate change is expected to cause. "I think it's a disaster of major proportions that's not being recognized," Brower said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101127/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/lt_mexico_butterfly_threat

[Drale]

1. I dont know about that

but I know that for a while fireflys where on the decline, but now they are making a comeback.

[amborin]

2. isn't

outdoor nighttime lighting one factor affecting fireflies?

they become disoriented and cannot reproduce, among other things

[cliffordu]

3. Must be hell trying to seduce a sodium vapor lamp......

(sorry, couldn't help myself..)

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

4. Headlights are worse.

[Mojorabbit]

5. I haven't seen a firefly since I was a teenager.

I live next door to the house I lived in then. I sure miss them.

[GKirk]

6. Why did you put GM crops

as the cause in your headline. The article does mention GM crops but gives no explanation as
to why they might be the cause.

[amborin]

8. the article does discuss why GM crops negatively impact fireflies

[Recursion]

9. Crowding out milkweed

GM crops that go feral crowd out weeds the butterflies need, if I read the article correctly.

[GKirk]

10. I'm not getting it...

...I don't see milkweed in GM fields or non-GM fields, both
get sprayed with weed killers.

[Recursion]

11. I don't know that they're talking about planted fields

so much as the wild grasslands around them that the GM strains take over (Monsanto and ADM's assurances that this is impossible notwithstanding).

[GKirk]

12. As I understand it....

...even if say a Round Up Ready corn or soybean seed took root in an adjoining field I don't see it 'taking over' the field. Weeds still outcompete farm crops when no weed killer is applied. Unless I'm still not getting it.

[Recursion]

13. GM grain that contains its own insecticide hybridizes wild grass

Grasslands now have insecticidal plants in them. Monarchs land on grass. Mayhem ensues.

[GKirk]

15. Ok I get it now...

...we are talking about Round Up Ready crops but some other types of GM crops.

[SpiralHawk]

16. That's another problem with Mutant GMO fields

spraying toxic shit all over the place.

Turns out even the soil micro organisms are mutating.

Nasty mutant shit.

[laylah]

14. I live in Illinois...

I have two pink milkweeds from a nursery in DesMoines. I got them 3 years ago. The first year I had 2 Monarchs, last year 4, this year 3.

Whatever the cause may be, those chemical pushing bastards are responsible, plain and simple!

I remember, as a child, all those years ago, a MASSIVE display of Monarchs on their journey! My mom always took us out to witness.

Jenn

[earth mom]

7. K & R for the butterflies AND the bees.

What they hell is the matter with people to continue the destruction of the planet?! :argh: