Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism

Oklahoma milkweed supply decreases, affecting monarch butterfly migration

by

As recently as 2008, Oklahomans were able to witness hundreds or even thousands of monarch butterflies on their journey south for the winter. However, last year festivalgoers at Monarch in the Park in Blanchard, Oklahoma, only saw a few butterflies. One local factor contributing to the population decrease of monarchs is the killing of milkweed plants in the Midwest, particularly with herbicides and roadside mowing. Global factors include deforestation and urban development, as well as biofuel development. These factors are “indicators that we are poisoning our environment,” said Robert Robbins, a Smithsonian curator of Lepidoptera — or the order of…

Cheyanne Weller

by

Cheyanne Weller has adapted to living in different places, having moved from Oklahoma to Virginia and back. “Home is not a place, it’s a feeling,” she said. “I guess home is a place with family, friends and people I care about.” Moving and traveling have had their advantages, such as helping her gain social skills. “I do talk a lot,” she said. “When I was younger though, I was shy. Now people tell me I’m a social butterfly, but I don’t feel like I am.” Weller lives in Glenpool, Okla., with her parents and younger brother. She also has an…

Go to Top