The Lost Ladybug Project
Cornell University needs you to go out and take some pictures of ladybugs!
Over the past twenty years several native ladybug species that were once very common have become extremely rare. During this same time several species of ladybugs from other places have greatly increased both their numbers and range. Besides being incredibly cool and charismatic ladybugs are also essential predators in both farms and forests that keep us from being overrun with pests (like aphids and mealybugs). In many areas the native ladybugs are being replaced by exotic ones.
Visit the Lost Ladybug Project website to learn the best places to find ladybugs, tips for collecting them and pointers on photographing them!
Monarch Waystation Program
Monarch Watch wants you to plant a butterfly garden!
Each fall, hundreds of millions of monarch butterflies migrate from the United States and Canada to overwintering areas in Mexico and California where they wait out the winter until conditions favor a return flight in the spring. The monarch migration is truly one of the world's greatest natural wonders, yet it is threatened by habitat loss in North America - at the overwintering sites and throughout the spring and summer breeding range as well.
By creating "Monarch Waystations" (monarch habitats) in home gardens, at schools, businesses, parks, zoos, nature centers, along roadsides, and on other unused plots of land you can offset the loss of milkweeds and nectar sources needed to create, conserve, and protect milkweed/monarch habitats. Without a major effort to restore milkweeds to as many locations as possible, the monarch population is certain to decline to extremely low levels.
Visit the Monarch Watch website to find out more and to order a seed kit.
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