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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2015)
8 Wednesday, July 8, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Magnitude 4.2 earthquake hits oregon, no damage reported Tales from a Sisters Naturalist by Jim Anderson Saving the monarch butterfly SPRINGFIELD (AP) — Some Oregonians woke on the Fourth of July to a signif- icant jolt when a magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck near Springfield and Eugene. Hundreds of peo- ple reported to the U.S. Geological Survey that they felt the quake, which struck at 8:42 a.m. Saturday. USGS Geophysicist Paul Caruso says there usu- ally isn’t any damage from quakes lower than magnitude 5.5. City of Springfield offi- cials said they haven’t received any reports of dam- age from residents or to infrastructure. The Oregon Department of Transportation, which conducted visual inspections of bridges in the Eugene- Springfield area, said there was no damage to any road- ways or bridges. The quake was cen- tered about 12 miles east of Eugene. It was about four miles deep, which Caruso says is considered shallow. The monarch butterfly is in a world of hurt. Right off the bat it has problems because it’s so unique; it’s a migratory insect that flies thousands of miles to sur- vive winter, then return to continue life in northern latitudes — and they travel right through our neck of the woods. Everyone knows birds migrate and do it in astound- ing numbers, astounding ways and astounding dis- tances. They’re built for it. Some shore birds stop for refueling in North America and then make the next hop of their flight non-stop to South America and return the following spring. But an insect? A butterfly? Unlike a bird, when the monarch begins its voyage back to its summer haunts the individual never gets there. Monarchs move by generational progress. To survive as a species they must have the plants to pro- duce the next generation of monarchs to continue the voyage north, and there is HUNGRY QUILTERS STOP HERE! only one type of plant they can use: milkweed. That’s where you, me, and the rest of the human society along the monarch’s flyways come into the pic- ture. We must supply them with not only the milkweed, but the nectaring plants as well. I say, “must,” because it’s we humans who have destroyed — and are still destroying — the habitat monarchs MUST have to survive on Earth. And it’s not very diffi- cult. All you have to do is pick out an area in your front or backyard, corner of your kitchen garden or picnic area where you’d like to see Monarch butterflies stop on their way north and south, or better yet, spend the sum- mer with you. The area you set aside will be known as a Monarch Waystation. Run on down to Tumalo Gardens, or Wintercreek Nursery over by the USFS headquarters and you can purchase everything you need to begin your very own Monarch Waystation on your very own property. You can also contact Monarch Watch at (Shop.MonarchWatch. org.) for seed and other monarch supplies. The more people who take on this project the less chance the monarch will end up on the Endangered Species List, and the more joy you will have when that magnificent insect grows from egg to adult. That in itself is quite a show. Here’s all you’ll need: Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) and narrowleaf milkweed (Asclepias fas- cicularis). Narrowleaf will grow in this area, but the Showy Milkweed will often do better, with adequate irri- gation. The following list of nectaring plants is just a suggestion; some of you master gardeners know more about what you can grow and enjoy than I do … and yes, hummingbirds will also enjoy your efforts. • Blue sage (Salvia farinacea). • Chia (Salvia columbariae). • Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea). • Tithonia torch, Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia). • Zinnia, dahlia mix (Zinnia elegans). If you have any ques- tions, suggestions, or just want to share what you’re doing — or about to do — to ensure survival of the monarch butterfly, feel free to send me an email: jim@ northwestnaturalist.net. Love to hear from you. Window Blinds Draperies 30% OFF DROP-IN PUBLIC YOGA CLASSES 7 DAYS A WEEK! NEW HOURS! DINNER: 7 DAYS A WEEK, 4 P.M. TO CLOSE 541-549-7427 LUNCH: WED - SUN., 11 A.M. TO 4 P.M. 190 E. Cascade Ave., Sisters iStockphoto.coM/8ran An adult monarch butterfly stops on a Mexican sunflower (tithonia). Locally owned by a Sisters family 541-788-8444 FREE CONSULTING www.BudgetBlinds.com 164 N. 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