Monarch Urban Farm

08/24/2024

Sounds like the perfect date. Goodnight!

08/16/2024

08/15/2024

Just one reason fake news can be so dangerous

08/06/2024

Full story in comments 👇 👇 👇

05/08/2024

For Floridians interested in supporting monarch butterflies, there are ways to mitigate the known infection of the parasite, Ophryocystis elektroscirrha (OE). Native milkweeds provide resources for other wildlife such as the queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) and many insect pollinators.

According to Jaret Daniels, curator of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, reducing the number and distribution of milkweeds across the landscape could actually increase the overall proportion of infected monarchs. With fewer milkweeds overall, monarchs may congregate in the remaining areas where the plants still grow, which could increase OE transmission.

He also recommends using native milkweed, when possible, instead of the non-native tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica). If tropical milkweed is used north of Lake Okeechobee in Florida, cutting it back around the end of October before migrant monarchs arrive from more northern areas will help prevent monarch infection. It will also minimize winter breeding and potential disruption to the fall migration.

For more information on native milkweed: https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/milkweed.html

05/08/2024

So many cool bee species!

Bees love native wildflowers. No surprise there, right?

Know what else they like? Water💧

Consider making a puddler - it's been so hot and dry. Directions in the comments

02/11/2024

yes