Farmers may rescue the Monarch:
‘Milkweed is becoming a serious crop, thanks to Win Phippen, associate professor at Western Illinois University. The ag researcher has learned how to row crop milkweed and now is working on equipment to harvest, dry and process the pods which contain white floss that currently proves to be valuable.
“Maximum field size is about five acres, and the best sites will have trees nearby,” says Phippen. “Milkweed needs bees for pollination, and if there aren’t enough bees, yield goes down.”
Unlike some alternative crops, plenty of uses for milkweed already exist. A Nebraska company, Natural Fibers Corp., has developed multiple markets for milkweed products, such as mixing floss with goose down for pillows and comforters. They even freeze-dry and grind leaves to sell to Monarch butterfly breeders. USDA researchers have found the seed meal kills nematodes and fall armyworms. The oil is rich in Vitamin E and has potential for use as a moisturizer. In addition, the floss is very absorbent.
“Milkweed floss outperforms everything at absorbing oils, and it can be used in insulation, ceiling tiles and other products,” says Phippen. “The problem is there isn’t the quantity available that large companies need.”’
- See more at: http://www.farmshow.com/view_articles.php?a_id=223#sthash.oXSS0Ds9.dpuf
I read that milkweed silk was used to stuff life jackets in the days of old.
I’m saving the silk to make a comforter or pillow. I figure, if we get another flood, I have a ready made boat.
Quite interesting, however, as with many articles, not all the “facts” match observations or the “facts” are not all there. The pollination of milkweed is accomplished in a complex manner by pollinia http://www.restoringthelandscape.com/2013/02/milkweed-pollination-sticky-situation.html
These are sacks of pollen which can become attached to a visiting insect’s leg. For successful pollienation, the pollinia needs to be transferred to a specific location on another flower. A honeybee is generally strong enough to yank the pollinia free, but sometimes becomes trapped and dies. The mode of attachment of the pollinia differs from the normal collection of pollen by the bees. Mostly they gather pollen particles and stuff them among the hairs on their back legs (termed pollen baskets). When they return to the hive the pollen is easily removed & stored or processed for bee larva food. Don’t know if they are able to harvest the pollinia which is attached to the bee’s foot.
I would think milkweed pollination on a scale described in this article would be associated with a high bee mortality rate.