2017 ASHS Annual Conference

The plight of pollinators is an issue of major concern throughout the United States and many other countries as well. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension faculty, staff and volunteers have begun working to improve the situation of important pollinators in the southern part of the state, a region with an environment that can be hostile to essential plants, insects, and birds. While many butterflies and bees are found in the area, there has been relatively little research done on western monarch butterfly migration patterns, preferred nectar plants and best foods for larvae. Milkweed, mainly Aesclepias species, is known as the essential food source for monarch butterfly larvae. Since 2015, over 25 different species and varieties of milkweeds have been grown at the Cooperative Extension Outdoor Education Center and Botanical Garden in Las Vegas Nevada. These trials will determine not only which are the most popular among monarchs, but will also demonstrate which plants are most likely survive in the Mojave Desert, particularly around Las Vegas. Results from these trials will be of use in other regions where environments pose similar challenges to pollinator populations. The migration pathway of eastern monarchs has been studied and mapped out in fine detail. For the western population, it is clear only that they overwinter along the California coast and fly through parts of California, Oregon and Nevada. Whether the monarchs seen in Southern Nevada are following an actual migration path or are simply outliers has yet to be determined. This research, following butterflies that pass through the Mojave will also give valuable information the western migration.