Date: 07/29/2014

Number: 1

This is not a Monarch sighting as such. But it does affect Monarchs and other pollinators. My wife went to the local greenhouse and was looking at plants for pollinators. She found a plant labeled bee balm. Native bee balm plants are known as great plants for attracting butterflies and other pollinators. She happened to walk past the manager and asked him if they use systemic insecticides on these plants. Amazingly he admitted that he did. So if you follow this logic a plant to attract butterflies and other pollinators is set up to kill them. My wife let him know what she thought of the idea and put the plant back in the greenhouse. I have noticed that insects can sense when the plants are not safe. If you go to a greenhouse and see no insects in the flowers chances are they are using these chemicals.

Hesston, KS

Latitude: 38.1 Longitude: -97.5

Observed by: Raymond
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