Monarch butterflies are a creature we remember fondly from our youth. It was common to see those orange and black wings flitting around in the sunshine. Now their numbers are dwindling, and farming practices are being blamed. There are a few producers and businesses stepping up to give those butterflies a place to recharge and repopulate.
Monarch butterflies are losing habitats and their numbers are dwindling. There is not open to debate. The monarchs rely heavily on the milkweed plant, among others, to reproduce and eat.
Eric Hakmiller is with Lincolnway Energy outside Nevada, Iowa. The company recently planted just under three acres into monarch habitat.
Hakmiller says the acreage was an area that was not going to be used. Lincolnway felt the monarch habitat was a good use of unproductive land and a way to give back to mother nature.
Iowa finds itself in the middle of the monarch migration path. Some of them may travel upwards of 6,000 miles during migration. The fueling station will provide milkweeds and other flowers that can support the monarchs on their journey.
It is going to take more producers and companies like Lincolnway Energy to step up and help monarchs. Because having monarchs on the endangered species list will cause a lot more headaches for agriculture production in Iowa.
