HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2017-05-10, Page 1414 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, May 10.2017
Clinton man preparing for the
Monarch butLerNies to make
their trip to Canada from Mexico
Shaun Gregory
Huron Expositor
As the warm spring
weather blesses Huron
County, most residents are
excited to put their green
thumb tendencies to use;
Mike is one of the excited
bunch, though unlike the
typical gardener, his opera-
tion is to attract butterflies.
Rather than fill his entire
yard with flowers and plants
for the appeal, Mike Ward,
34, from Clinton primarily
uses the space to aid the
monarch butterfly.
It's a species in need of
protection, according to a
survey administered by the
World Wild Life
organization.
In the survey conducted
last February, the results
stated that the monarch col-
onies have decreased 27 per
cent compared to the previ-
ous year.
Migrating each year from
Southeast Canada on a 1,200
to 2,800 mile trek to the
long distance11 -800-265-3438
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kty
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53 Albert Street
Clinton, ON
519-482-3443
ext. 527306
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JO L.
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forests in the mountains
located at the border of
Michoacan and the State of
Mexico; it is during this time
when problems are prone to
occur.
The main counterpart to
the dwindling numbers is
the lack of milkweed grow-
ing, the lone plant that mon-
archs rely on to lay their
eggs, as well as being the
main source of food for baby
caterpillars.
Understanding how this
food is compulsory to the
monarch population, Ward
grows an assortment of milk-
weeds, including common
milkweed, swamp milkweed,
butterfly weed, and soon-to-
be available -tropical
milkweed.
He scours the roadsides
looking to harvest milkweed
seeds or alternatively pur-
chases seeds from local hor-
ticulture outlets.
He also has a wide variety
of nectar flowers he grows to
entice the adult butterflies in
what he calls his grassless
Postmedia file photo
Mike Ward, 34, from Clinton is preparing for monarch butterflies to arrive in Ontario. He currently
has a registered Waystation on his property. This means Ward has all the necessities to help the
dwindling species grow in population.
backyard.
"I basically wait for the
monarchs to arrive, I don't
use any pesticides on my
yard and then once they
arrive, I watch for eggs
and caterpillars," he said
May 2.
He then relocates them
into a Tupperware con-
tainer; from there they
seaforthhuronexpositor.com
SEAFORTH LIONS
ANNUALTROUT DERBY
ESCHEDULED
Kids 14 years and under can
register for the derby at the
Seaforth Lions Pavillion from 6:45 am.
RULES:
CHILDREN ONLY
(14 years and under)
• No fishing before 7a.m.
• No use of lures
• Limit 2 fish per child
• Prizes awarded at 11a.m.
• Fish must be caught and landed
by child to claim prize
" and remember parents,
fishing is for the kids."
Anyone wishing to make a contribution, please contact
any Lions member or call Paul 519-527-2892
All proceeds to support the Trout Derby
NOTICE: NO FISHING at the Lions Park
BEFORE 7 a.m. Saturday, May 13th, 2017
grow while feeding on milk-
weed, which is the key
ingredient for the butter-
fly's survival.
This is Ward's second year
of raising butterflies as a
hobby and in 2016 he was
responsible for the release of
30 monarchs and two large
Swallowtail butterflies.
Currently his house is a
registered Waystation habi-
tat for monarch butterflies;
his property has the means
to support the four stages of
metamorphosis of the but-
terfly - egg, larva, pupa and
finally adult.
Ward said he believes the
butterflies will be arriving in
the area between mid and
late June.
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SATURDAY, MAY 13 — RACE TIME 1 P.M.
Seaforth Lions Park
Tickets available from Optimist Club Members,
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