Columnists
Another butterfly enthusiast weighs in on milkweed, pesticides
By Carol Cullar, Director -- Rio Bravo Nature Center Foundation, Inc.
Sep 3, 2006
A fellow monarch butterfly enthusiast in Up-State New York, sent me your URL so that I might read the article about Green milkweed eradication testing in your region.
I'm concerned by the recent article posted about Dow Chemical's test of Surmount to wipe out Green milkweed (Asclepias viridis) in North Texas pastures.
A. viridis does not pose a threat to cattle in pastures, but Surmount does pose a threat to humans, monarch butterfly migration, and other native forbs and nectaring sources for monarchs.
Dr. Orly Taylor, U. of Kansas (one of our foremost authorities on the Monarch and its habitat): "A. viridis is seldom eaten by cattle, and because it is freed of vegetative competition because cows munch down the surrounding grasses and weeds, it produces many ramets (stems) robust flower heads and lots of seeds. It can become quite abundant in some fields.
It is considered a pest species because farmers perceive it as competitor for the forage they are trying to promote for the cattle.
However, I doubt that it reduces forage productivity measurably except in rare cases. The fact that the plants go dormant in the heat of the year lends support to the idea that it is relatively insignificant as a competitor for space, nutrients or water.
A. viridis is probably the main host for first generation monarchs in Texas. Without this plant the monarch population moving north in late April and May would be much smaller."
What is the stand of the North Texas E-News on the conservation of habitat for the Monarch butterfly, and for that matter, on native plants and forbs? Is everything a "weed?"
I would appreciate knowing the number of acres of pasture that are sprayed to control A. viridis each year in your region of North Texas. Any ideas?
In your article, Mr. Randy Moore’s title is "Conservationist." He works for the Natural Resources Conservation Services. Isn’t that an excellent bureau for our government to establish and fund! Conservation in my book means "to save, guard, protect forever."
Are we really protecting the environment for the appreciation and enjoyment of our future generations? Could the cost of just trying to turn a profit from the land without regard to long-term, harmful effects be coming at a price none of us can afford? Gee Whiz! I’m waking up late!
My main issue is that those agriculturists are being sold a bill of goods on Green milkweed. But perhaps it’s not only a bill of goods, but another bottle of herbicide that they are being sold.
In public documents at the following chemical disclosure website, Surmount is identified as containing Napthalene and Picloram both known to be hazardous and to cause cancer:
The four-page warning, both the self-serving statement from Dow Chemical and the fine print restrictions in some states with stronger control laws, cautions about getting this herbicide into any ground water or water runoff situation. That’s enough to tell me that this is nasty stuff.
At what point do we become alarmed with the wide distribution of a chemical that wipes out the food source for our most prolific pollinators?
Do the farmers in your region not grow alfalfa? Where do they get the pollinators for that crop?
Sincerely,
Carol Cullar, Director
Rio Bravo Nature Center Foundation, Inc.
Eagle Pass, TX 78852