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Author Topic: Butterflies  (Read 784 times)

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AGelbert

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He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Butterflies
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2015, 07:05:34 pm »
From his amazing capacity for rampant, conscience free predation to his incredible self worship and ego loving idiocy, mankind has been an excellent example of how to consistently do the wrong thing to perpetuate his species since the dawn of creation.

Whatever we may occasionally disagree on, AG, I respect you and find you to be extremely ethical. I agree with the above statement, too, with all my heart. The biggest question i have for anybody who wants to listen is this:

How can we do everything wrong over and over and over, in so many different areas of life, and expect the planet to just keep giving us all its bounty?

 How can we spend a thousand years worth of resources in a hundred years, fight dozens of unnecessary wars, and expect to have enough resources left to have food, medicine, and people care?

Eddie,
Thank you for your vote of confidence. Considering the credibility problem I have here because I am a Christian, never mind that I am a hard boiled, do the math, science educated geek in regard to what is true and what ain't in the physical universe, that helps muffle the mockers somewhat.   

Always remember that when I debate you, I am doing it in the spirit of the following wise proverb:
Quote
Faithful are the wounds from a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.

I was raised in Kansas and that's they way the people of good will communicate there. I'm certain that in Texas, it is no different.

By the way, I just watched a fantastic video of the Monarch butterfly life cycle in the Western Hemisphere (Monarchs in other parts of the planet don't migrate or, if they do migrate, they migrate a much shorter distance).

Every year, hoards of them fly through Texas on their way to the Mexican wintering haven (that the Homo SAPS there are busy illegally logging and destroying because, uh, "they've got to feed their kids" . It seems Homo apex predatorus stupidus is well represented in Mexico too. And the (fossil fuel based) pesticides and herbicides emitted from crop duster aircraft in the USA kill thousands of Monarchs before they get there.

The irony of watching the video footage of a Monarch being wasted by a crop dusting aircraft is that the documentary video was SPONSORED by ExxonMobil and David Koch. How ecologically friendly of them. 

The "the Mexicans are the worst bad guys"  ;) SPIN is present in the video. These fossil fuelers are VERY clever. Please observe the amount of time they devote to all the damage being done by illegal logging (interviews with law enforcement, illegal loggers and  biologist warnings with lots of dead tree footage) compared with less than a minute of a crop duster plane spraying a field and offing a single Monarch.  Not a SINGLE interview with the drop dusters and not a single recommendation to outlaw crop dusting, OF COURSE! Profits must be preserved!

But the life cycle info and footage of these delicate beauties that fly 2000 miles every fourth generation (they KNOW where they are going without being taught. They caught some in Kansas, moved them to the East coast, and they still found their way to Mexico!  :o :emthup:).

Here's the video if you haven't seen it. Please let me know if you have witnessed the migration. Be sure to thank MKing for helping bring it to you.    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD9wP5vKdKg&feature=player_embedded
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Butterflies
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2015, 01:26:41 am »
01/29/2015 11:55 AM
Monarch Butterflies Bounce Back A Bit

SustainableBusiness.com News

Right now, 56.5 million monarch butterflies are hibernating in Mexico, a slightly higher number than last year's lowest-ever count of 34 million.

 Nine colonies of monarchs are covering trees on 2.79 acres, up from just 1.65 acres last year, according to World Wildlife Fund-Mexico and the Mexican government.

 "The population increase is welcome news, but the monarch must reach a much larger population size to be able to bounce back from ups and downs," from severe weather, pesticides, climate change, disease and predation, says Tierra Curry, a researcher with the Center for Biological Diversity, which  petitioned for protection under the Endangered Species Act along with Center for Food Safety, Xerces Society and other organizations.


Monarch wintering

In the mid-1990s, there were 1 billion monarchs. During that decade, monarchs never covered less than 13 acres in Mexico and hit a high of 44.95 acres in 1993. But over the last decade since GMO agriculture was introduced, monarchs have been suffering dramatic declines.   

Scientists expected more monarchs this year because of near-perfect weather conditions during their breeding season, but they hoped for a bigger rebound.

 "Despite this small increase, monarch populations are still severely jeopardized by milkweed loss in their summer breeding grounds due to increasing herbicide use on genetically-engineered crops," explains George Kimbrell, senior attorney for Center for Food Safety.

Widespread planting of GMO crops in the Midwest - where most monarchs are born - is largely driving the decline. Most GMO crops are sprayed with Monsanto's Roundup herbicide, a potent milkweed killer - the only plant monarchs lay their eggs on and which can feed its larvae. Spraying has virtually wiped out milkweed plants in Midwest corn and soybean fields, depriving monarchs of more than 165 million acres of habitat - nearly a third of their summer breeding grounds. Monarchs need a "road" of milkweed from Canada down through the east and central US to Mexico.


Asclepias syriaca (Common Milkweed)


Monarchs love Backyard milkweeds

Milkweed (Asclepias) is a tough plant that traditionally blanketed the Midwest. Even turning much of the land to farming over the last couple hundred years didn't impede the Monarch, because milkweed (and other wildflowers) still grew along edges and even between rows of crops.  The plants are gorgeous and easy to grow even in dry conditions.


Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed)

 "It is crucial that we restore and protect the habitat of this iconic species in all three countries, but above all that we limit the use of herbicide and land conversion in the US and maintain efforts to avoid deforestation in Mexico," says Omar Vidal, Director General of WWF-Mexico.

Planting Milkweed Across the US

People have responded by planting milkweed across the US and Canada, but it's crucial they buy the correct species and from retailers that don't sell them pre-treated with neonic pesticides - which aren't labeled. You can locate the right seeds and plants through Xerces Society and Monarch Watch.

"We've got to get people to plant milkweed all over. We're not going to save this species unless the public gets involved.  Saving the monarch butterfly has to become a national priority," Orley Taylor, executive director of Monarch Watch told the Denver Post.

This is the kind of project that gets results. Milkweed is being planted on fallow farm fields, in parks, under power lines, on federal land, along roads and at senior centers and schools, says Taylor. A major effort is underway for farmers to bring back large-scale pollinator habitats.

 Learn about projects to bring monarchs back: 
 

 
Website: http://monarchjointventure.org/our-work/list/category/habitat-conservation-and-enhancement

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26124
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Butterflies
« Reply #3 on: February 13, 2015, 11:22:16 pm »
Butterfly in the Bamboo Forest: Four videos ;D
Exquisite water droplets on butterfly closups.    


NOTE: Best watched in 720 setting

The Chinese consider the bamboo the most righteous of plants. The species in this film grows 20 meters in 45 days!  :o


Also featured is the fastest insect in the world. ;D Enjoy:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARDwegL4EoI&feature=player_embedded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzosUnA1oYs&feature=player_embedded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh02mJ3_-0g&feature=player_embedded
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQPih0j53Jk&feature=player_embedded



« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 01:57:35 pm by AGelbert »
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Butterflies
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2016, 01:54:17 pm »
 


02/29/2016 12:37 PM     

Monarch Butterfly Rebounds, Hopeful for Recovery

SustainableBusiness.com News

We are so happy to hear that after a year's-worth of intense effort, monarch butterflies are rebounding, giving us hope for the future of these gorgeous pollinators.

 This winter, hibernating monarchs covered almost 10 acres in Mexico, more than tripling from 2014, when they declined to their lowest levels ever at 1.65 acres. There are about 140 million monarchs, up from 35 million, says World Wildlife Fund.

 Environmental groups are cautiously saying the population is "recovering", but these numbers are still among the lowest compared to 20 years ago, when a billion monarchs covered 45 acres of Mexican forest. 

It may look like bark, but it is monarchs completely covering the trees: 


Quote
"We are seeing the beginning of success . Our task now is to continue building on that," Daniel Ashe, director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), told the NY Times.

 As with most wildlife losses, monarchs face multiple threats during their 2800-mile migration from Canada to Mexico and back. You probably know the greatest threat is the loss of milkweed - the sole plant they lay their eggs on and on which their larvae feed during summer. The loss of milkweed is a direct result of increased use of herbicides for GMO agriculture. 

Quote
The vast increase of GMO crops across the US midwest has virtually wiped out milkweed plants, depriving monarchs of a third of their breeding ground - over 165 million acres of habitat. New research shows mature monarchs (and bees) die if they take nectar from GMO crops, in addition to being killed by spraying.

Erratic weather patterns from climate change and illegal logging in Mexico's "monarch forest" also contribute to their demise.   

Now, there's a huge effort to plant milkweed and apparently, efforts to halt illegal logging are being successful. 

Last year, milkweed grew on 250,000 more acres, either through new plantings or by stopping the use of pesticides.

FWS established the Monarch Conservation Fund - the first dedicated fund for the iconic butterflies - showing what a measly $2 million can do. Grants are given to community groups, businesses and local governments to create "monarch oases across the country." From California to the Corn Belt, and from Texas to Minnesota, habitats are being restored along the Monarch's migration route.

Quote
You can buy seeds or plants - which must be native to your area - through Xerces Society and Monarch Watch. 

A 2014 executive order from President Obama directs federal agencies to "reverse pollinator losses and help restore populations to healthy levels" of bees, birds, bats, and butterflies - as "critical contributors to our nation's economy, food system, and environmental health." Last year, the government released a strategy to restore 7 million acres of land for pollinator habitat over the next 5 years.

And thanks to lawsuits by environmental groups, EPA is taking two of the worst herbicides off the market.

Read our article, Spring is Here: Bees & Birds Get Help From Farmers.

http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/26561
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

AGelbert

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Re: Butterflies
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2018, 02:08:36 pm »
 

Uploaded on Oct 15, 2018

Wild & Weird: A Peculiar Parade of Caterpillars 


Caterpillars are the tubby, ever-hungry, slightly awkward larval stage of butterflies, skippers and moths. While most human eyes may prefer the aesthetics of their final, winged forms, caterpillars are pretty cool in their own right.

Check out amazing, intimate footage by Samuel Jaffe of The Caterpillar Lab on Facebook or YouTube. The Lab, located in New England, works to highlight these wonderful, strange backyard animals and spark interest in the natural world.





He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Matt 10:37

 

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