‘Bee’ thankful for native plants

On May 19, 2015, the White House released the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators. This strategic document addressed the alarming losses in honey bees and butterflies observed across the United States in the past several decades. Loss of habitat, use of particular pesticides and the introduction of a parasitic mite are all partially responsible for the declines. The loss of these important species is particularly concerning because honeybees increase agricultural production by more than $15 billion each year. Butterflies and other native insect pollinators are critical to maintaining native plant diversity and pollinating many food crops and ornamental plants we use every day. The White House’s strategy hopes to reduce honeybee colony losses to less than 15 percent each winter, increase monarch butterfly populations to 225 million and restore or enhance 7 million acres of land.
 
Johnson Space Center has already taken many steps to protect local honeybee and butterfly populations. JSC limits the use of pesticides, relocates nuisance honeybee hives whenever possible and maintains hundreds of acres of prairie habitat that abound with plants that pollinators need. For example, Green Milkweed, a common plant across JSC’s prairies, is an important native host plant for monarch butterflies. Monarch butterfly caterpillars only eat plants in the Ascelpias genus, which includes milkweed.
 
Learn how to protect and enhance native pollinator habitat around your own property from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
 
In March, Cindy Price will talk at the JSC Environmental Brown Bag on monarchs and how planting milkweed can help save their dwindling population. Get involved and learn more about JSC sustainability.
 


Green Milkweed, a native Texas flowering plant. Image Credit: NASA/Lauren Harnett
 
 
Stacy Shutts
NASA Johnson Space Center