Protecting Monarch Butterflies...

[Rockhopper]

The world's population of Monarch butterflies has been declining for at least the last ten years, according to researchers at the University of Kansas. Some estimates suggest a 90 percent drop since 1994.

Scientific studies by the University of Kansas, University of Guelph, and others point to the increasing use of Monsanto's herbicide Roundup and the rise of genetically modified crops (GMOs) designed to resist such herbicides as one possible cause of the decline.

Monsanto focuses on farmers' choice to use its products and has launched a PR campaign to portray itself as a leading protector of pollinators like bees and butterflies, as the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) has reported.

Source.

Tim.

[Mordae]

The problem we have here is that the Monarch's lay the same time the wasp's start focussing on getting protein to get them through winter...that and by the time they go into crysalis, the weather has turned and it kills them off. You can usually find a some small drifts of dead monarch's over by the river in late autumn.

[Rockhopper]

Yep Mordles, those bladdy immigrant wasps! 

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

Monsanto and other giants like DuPont and Bayer also made GMO crops that made their own pesticides.

[Rockhopper]

That's another option too Len. Monarchs need the nectar from wild flowers to live and a pesticide in them would be disasterous!

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

That's another option too Len. Monarchs need the nectar from wild flowers to live and a pesticide in them would be disasterous!

Tim.

Yep, their BT corn is what did it to the Monarchs and honey bees

[Rockhopper]

The Southern Monarchs here are not affected by GM Len. No GM here or in Aussie. The Monarchs here winter over in nth Aust and then fly to NZ to lay their eggs and die. An amazing trip for a butterfly!

They spend winter in the far north of Queensland and in summer fly back via Norfolk Island to NZ. A trip of about 2500Km over an ocean in the most part. The young butterflies build up their strength and fly back to Aust in autumn.

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

Monsanto is trying to spread it's tentacles all over the world, even Aus and NZ. Protestors in Australia tore up a Monsanto testing field for their crops to see how well they adapt to the climes over there, they have some in Europe, but those are enclosed as Europe is all too aware of the pollen spread issues. In retaliation, Monsanto hired whatever Blackwater calls itself to guard the fields from those protestors,,,,,

[Mordae]

Yeah, Monsanto has a subsidory company here, based in Pukekohe (the name eludes me at the moment).

[Rockhopper]

Didn't know that Mordles, see that's something new I learned today! 

Tim.

[Lenzabi]

Didn't know that Mordles, see that's something new I learned today! 

Tim.

Monsanto has it's tentacles all over the world

[Rogue]

Yes, those bloody wasps. The poms love them, but they're really making inroads here now as well, and I saw the same in Auckland a month or so back.

Plant a dozen Swan plants and save a Monarch!

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