|
Did you know that a recent study by SC Department of Natural Resources has found that some monarch butterfly populations live year-round in parts of South Carolina? Eastern monarch butterflies had been best known for migrating in the fall all the way to Mexico, but this new study suggests that coastal South Carolina is home to a unique group of monarchs that spend their winter in S.C., rather than migrating to Mexico.
This unique group of monarchs rely on inland swamps near the coast in spring, summer and fall and sea islands in the winter to survive. Instead of depending entirely on milkweed plants, like common milkweed or butterfly weed, to survive for egg-laying and larval food. This new research has found that aquatic milkweed and a viney relative of milkweed, swallow-wort, has served as alternative host plants for the monarchs that live in the swamps and on the barrier islands year-round. Scientists have found that our barrier islands, especially our southern barrier islands, have similar climate conditions in the winter, as those sites in Mexico.
This is all good news for monarchs, since their populations are in so much trouble that the US Fish and Wildlife Service are evaluating their status for the endangered species list. Monarchs still need our help by planting nectar plants and milkweed. Look for them in our gardens during Afternoon Explorations as they migrate through in Mid-October.
By Tim Taylor, Roper Mountain Life Science Specialist
| 
