The Mahoning County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) office is encouraging Youngstown residents to collect milkweed seed pods to assist in its efforts to reverse the falling number monarch butterflies.
Milkweed pod collection is not just being encouraged here in Mahoning, but by SWCD offices across Ohio. Monarchs are important pollinators and their falling numbers are quickly becoming a problem in the agriculture community throughout Ohio.
Kathleen Vrable-Bryan, SWCD administrator explained:
“This annual milkweed seed collection effort is a great opportunity to help reverse the decline in the monarch population by providing a food source, and a resting and nesting place for them. I truly believe we’ve seen an increase in the monarch species since this program began.”
A brochure printing service can assist in educating the public concerning the importance of a species.
Pods will be accepted Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the SWCD office in Youngstown at 850 Industrial Road through October 30. Pods should be stored in a cool, dry area, in paper Bags bearing the county and date on which it was collected. Participants are urged not to use plastic, and not to pick the pods unless they are of a gray or brown color and are dry.
The eastern monarch butterfly population has gone down by 80% in the last two decades and this is believed to be the result of the disappearance of its sole host plant, the milkweed.
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