NATURE'S VIBRANT POLLINATORS Butterflies to watch and protect
Butterflies play a vital role in the reproduction of plants. As they sip on sugary flower nectar, butterflies inadvertently collect pollen on their legs and bodies. With every stop at another bloom, butterflies become pollen couriers, helping to pollinate flowers.
During the winter months many butterflies spend their pupal, or chrysalis, stage in leaf litter. (This is why it's important to leave some leaves!)
FEATURED BUTTERFLY OF THE MONTH: MOURNING CLOAK
Mourning Cloak(Nymphalis antiopa), shown here, is one of a few types of butterflies that hibernate in the leaves as adults, not in the pupal stage. They live in deciduous woods and woods' edges and are one of the earliest butterflies you will see in the year, as early as mid-February.
Adult Food Source: Mourning Cloaks feed on nectar from many species of flowers, but also on tree sap flows, especially oak.
Larval Host Plant: When they are in the larval, or caterpillar, stage (above), Mourning Cloaks can be found on these host plants: Willow (Salix), Poplar (Populous), Elm (Ulmus), Ash (Fraxinus), Birch (Betula), Alder (Alnus) and Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis).
To protect Mourning Cloaks, plant native flowers and the trees mentioned above. And keep leaf litter for winter hibernation cover. Remember to look for them in wooded areas. You may not see them everywhere in Stamford. Life cycle of moths and butterflies: Egg - hatches into tiny caterpillars, or larvae, on a host plant, Caterpillar (larvae) - feeds on leaves of host plant and then hangs upside down to form chrysalis, Chrysalis (pupa) - undergoes metamorphosis to emerge as butterfly, Butterfly (adult) - lays eggs on the host plant and looks for food source from nectar, sap, rotting fruit, etc.
AFTER THE HOLIDAYS Don't toss. Recycle your Christmas tree.
Help pollinators and other small wildlife. Tips for using old Christmas trees in your winter garden:
Cut off branches and layer boughs over plants and soil.
Cut small logs from the thicker part of the trunk and place around flower beds.
Stack logs to form pyramids.
Use the discarded tree as a windbreak on the windward side of rhododendron, boxwood and other evergreens.
Contact state parks and river conservancies to upcycle your tree as a soil erosion barrier around lakes and rivers
Thanks to the collective advocacy of many groups, including New York Pollinator Pathway, Governor Hochul signed the Birds and Bees Protection Act legislation into law.
This nation-leading legislation protects New Yorkers from potentially harmful toxins by prohibiting the use of certain neonicitinoid pesticides (neonics) treated corn, soybean, or wheat seeds and neonicitinoid pesticides for outdoor ornamental plants and turfs, creating important protections for New York's pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
Backed by dozens of peer-reviewed studies and a recent comprehensive Cornell University study demonstrating that neonics "offer no overall net income benefit" to farmers, NY state moved to protect residents, pollinators and wildlife from harmful pesticides. There are safer alternatives.
Since neonics became commercially available in the 1990s there has been a sharp decline in insect, bird and fish populations. The American bumblebee has vanished from eight states (a population loss of 99% in CT.) USGS studies of U.S. streams show concentrations of several neonics high enough to wipe out aquatic insects that fish, frogs and birds eat. Neonics are hollowing out our ecosystems.
"By signing the Birds and Bees Protection Act, New York is taking a significant stride in protecting our kids, environment and essential pollinators," Governor Hochul said.
"This law underscores our commitment to fostering a thriving ecosystem while we prioritize sustainable farming and agricultural practices." Read more.
What are we doing about this in Connecticut?
When the legislative session begins in February, Pollinator Pathway, a member of Connecticut Pesticide Reform, will be in Hartford advocating for further restrictions of neonics, including bans on ornamental use (residential landscape companies) as well as following NY's lead proposing a ban on neonic-coated seeds. Urge your CT state representative and senator to support legislation this year to protect pollinators, public health, clean water and the environment from wasteful and unregulated use of neurotoxic neonicitinoid pesticides.
What's next at the national level?
We are partnering with Beyond Pesticides urging our local city and town elected officials to make their voices heard in Congress by signing on to a letter to leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives opposing efforts taking away local governments' ability to protect residents and workers from harmful pesticides. Please forward this sign on letter to your local officials asking them to sign it.
NAME THIS SNAKE Pick your favorite.
Last month we told you about this slithery friend who frequents the pollinator garden at Kosciuszko Park. Garter snakes disperse seeds after swallowing whole prey, like rodents, with seeds tucked in their cheeks. We asked you for names and narrowed it down to the final three.
Vicki sent us this shot of a monarch butterfly and Scott captured a goldfinch eating coneflower seeds in their gardens. Thanks for sharing your photos and helping to expand the pollinator pathway throughout Stamford!
