Adios Monarcas

Posted on August 28, 2011 by Lawrence Wade

"J" stage of a monarch caterpillar

There wasn’t a big going away party this week, but there should have been! The first wave of monarchs has left for their wintering grounds in Mexico early in the week. All summer long, the monarch butterflies have been silent neighbors, gliding on the wind currents, and moving from one flowering plant to another.  I am feeling the sting of not having them around me. This summer, I have seen three generations of caterpillars hatch since June. But the curtain is closing on the monarch for now. I know I’ll see some stragglers or maybe a last wave of orange, but their great journey has begun.

Today, I went west to Schaefer Prairie, hoping to catch up with the monarchs, and be in their presence one last one time. There were a few stragglers at the prairie, but the big show was not the monarchs, but the prairie itself. The subtle, but deafening sound of the crickets, the native sunflowers and big bluestem swaying in the gentle breeze; a white tail buck, pheasant and more.

In past years, my experiences with the migrating monarchs have been mixed. A few years   back, at the MN Landscape Arboretum, I saw a clump of thousands of monarchs in the trees, only to return the next day with a school group and the butterflies had moved on.

Early Morning Monarch

Another year, I was working at a school at the north side of Lake Minnetonka, and there was a south wind blowing.  I discovered about 50 monarchs feeding on New England Aster near the school. The south wind continued for 3 days and the number of monarchs ballooned up to several hundred. They could not make the lake crossing in the strong south wind. I changed my teaching program for the week, and started bringing students out to the asters and the monarchs. It was a magical teaching experience orchestrated by nature: monarchs feeding and students totally captivated. On Friday, I brought my last group out there, and the monarchs were gone. The wind had shifted to the north, and they must have got up into the wind. The students were devastated that the monarchs were not there. I was secretly hoping they had made it all the way to Iowa by nightfall.

Where are the orange travelers headed? Midwestern monarchs travel to the Sierra Madre

Monarchs and Milkweed

Mountains in Central Mexico, a journey of over 1500 miles if you live in Minnesota.

I have never seen the monarch wintering grounds, but if I had a “bucket list” it would be one of the top ten places I’d like to go. Photos of monarchs in the Sierra Madres shows pine trees “dripping” with orange, and visitors have to watch where they walk, so as not to step on resting butterflies.

My wife and I were in Guadalajara, Mexico this summer, and the “monarca” occupies a special place in hearts of the Mexican people. We saw numerous sculptures and paintings that were adorned with monarchs. The monarch has a special place in my heart, as well. I say good-bye to my orange friends,  “Vaya con dios. Voy a ver a ustedes el junio proximo.”

Migrating Monarchs on Bull Thistle

 

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Childhood Lost

Posted on August 25, 2011 by Lawrence Wade

Why television, mobile phones, facebook, ipads and other electronic devices are ruining our children’s early years.

When I was a kid we got three television channels, and none of them worked very well. It was Bonanza on Wednesday, Rawhide on Monday, and possibly a football game on Saturday or Sunday. Television played a minute part of my childhood. Likewise, the telephone was not a big thing. Our telephone number was 967, and we had to talk to an operator if we wanted to speak to someone on a long distance line.

 

Today, many of my students watch 3-4 hours of TV a day and are on their phones or computers 3-4 hours a day texting and chatting. So if most of the screen time is eliminated, what would kids do?

What would you do with the extra time? I spent most of my time at Sespe Creek. I know most students probably do not have a wild river within 5 minutes of their home, but I did. But, surely, there is a park, creek, trees, or even empty lot near your home that needs exploring. It was quiet down at the creek, and I heard only natural sounds. From a young age, I was interested in birds, butterflies, fishing, and exploring. My rural childhood reminds me to make it a daily priority to take a walk in the park and listen to the natural sounds around me.

Many of my students might say, “Who cares about being outside?” They might choose a video game over riding a bike or playing a game outside. Many would say, “Why go outside? Video games are much more exciting”. Children may have more excitement, but have lost their childhood to the electronic world. In the last five years, I have noticed many children seem more disconnected to their natural world. Many are afraid of bugs, weeds, and trees, and much more comfortable studying them on the internet than in person. From my perspective, it is very scary to see that, but also sad to think that children are missing out on the richness of a wholesome childhood.

If you are a kid, reduce your couch time and get outside, explore nature, become physically active. If you are a parent, balance is very important. Too much screen time turns a child’s brain to mush. I’ve seen it many times with students. A kid will come to school on Monday after a video game marathon and his brain is “fuzz”. It may take 3 days before the kid is able to start thinking clearly again. It concerns me because 7-18 year old brains are not fully developed. What is all of this electronic gadgetry doing their brains?

I don’t expect everyone to unload their TVs, phones, and video games and start “living off the land”. But I know the value of being outside, and how rich a childhood can be, if  time is spent in the woods and fields every day.

Posted in Connecting to Nature | 1 Comment