Odell signs Mayors' Monarch Pledge, joining The Ladybug Foundation's passion protecting monarch butterflies

Tuesday, April 23, 2024 at 4:47 AM

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Mayors across the country are taking action to help save the monarch butterfly.

The iconic species has declined in eastern populations by as much as 90 percent and western populations by 99% during the recent years.

Rochester Mayor Trent Odell recently signed The National Wildlife Federation’s Mayors’ Monarch Pledge. The commitment aims for mayors to encourage both restoring habitat within the community, and encouraging residents to do the same.

Last Friday, partnering with Ladybug Foundation Founder Lindsay Barts, Mayor Odell read a book about monarchs to preschoolers at Columbia Elementary School to help inspire community interest in the pledge.

Around 50 students listened to the program on monarchs, and how community members in Fulton County could do their part in keeping them safe.

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Kim Landis was also there helping Barts teach the students about the monarchs. Landis demonstrated to students how they, with the help of a parent, could make their own pesticides.

One group of insecticides that has raised concerns over the years in particular is neonicotinoids. It's commonly used on farms, businesses, homes and landscapes.

While a minimal threat to humans and mammals these particular insecticides are extremely toxic to arthropods. The accesibility and variety of application methods make neonicotinoids popular for use in pest control.

Pollinators, including the monarchs, as well as other insects exposed to neonictinoids face lethal or sublethal effects.

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Barts plans on continuing her spread of awareness on saving the monarchs through The Ladybug Foundation, with hopes of gaining more community support in the future.