Page 7 - Nov/Dec 21 Kind News

HUMANE HERO
AMAZING WORLD
CRITTER

CLUES

Magnificent 1 My name means “long tail,”

Monarchs and I got the name because

of my long tail feathers.

2 When I am kept as a pet,
I am happiest with another
These beautiful butterflies are an important species because of the of my species.
opposite page: courtesy of the chaser initiative. this page, from top: (amazing world) himesh kumar behera/unsplash;
flowers they help pollinate. They go through a transformation, or 3 I have great vision, and I
change, called metamorphosis. First, a female butterfly lays up to can even move my eyes
500 eggs on milkweed plants. Then, a caterpillar hatches from the egg separately from one another!
and eats up to 200 milkweed leaves! Once the caterpillar finds enough
to eat, they form into a pupa, or chrysalis, where they start to grow 4 I can often be taught to talk
into a butterfly. After about 14 days, a monarch butterfly emerges! and do tricks!
As a species, monarch butterflies are in trouble because of a loss 5 My beak grows quickly —
of milkweed habitat. Do you want to help save these magnificent up to three inches a year — so
monarchs? Growing milkweed and native flowers in your garden and when I am kept as a pet I will
avoiding pesticides are the best ways to help. need something to help me
keep my beak from getting
DIY too long, such as a
Planting Milkweed cuttlebone.

6 I am a popular pet all around
Plant milkweed to help monarch butterflies!
mimiandaunt/bigstock; (critter clues) den trushtin/unsplash.
the world.
1. Call your local nursery to see if they have 7 I am sometimes called a
milkweed. You can also plant seeds “budgie.”
directly into the ground. Research what
type of milkweed grows best in your area.
2. If you are planting seeds, start them in the fall when the weather What am I?
gets colder. Choose an area that gets full sun. Plant seeds ¼ inches
deep in the soil and 10 inches apart from each other. You will start
seeing your plants grow when spring begins!
3. If you get milkweed from your nursery, plant it in the springtime
when it starts to warm up.
4. Water your plants daily so that the soil is wet, but not in puddles.
Add mulch or straw around the plant to protect the roots.

5. Enjoy watching your plants and monarchs grow!

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ANSWER: AT THE QUACK OF DAWN! Nov/Dec 2021 | 7