Officials from the Logan Soil and Water Conservation District said they have been thrilled to receive help from the public with the collection of milkweed pods, but note that many of the participants have been harvesting the pods too early.
The milkweed pod at left is an unripe one and should not be picked while the one on the right is ripe. The Logan Soil and Water Conservation District is asking for assistance in collecting milkweed pods to help increase the local population of monarch butterflies. (ILLUSTRATION | LOGAN SOIL AND WATER)
The local office, 324 County Road 11, Bellefontaine, is collecting the milkweed pods for the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative that runs from Sept. 1 through Oct. 30 to address the drastic decline in the population of the monarch butterfly.
Some tips for harvesting the milkweed include:
• If pods are bright green, they are not ripe or ready to be collected.
• Ready to pull pods will be gold/yellow or gray to brown in color.
• Don’t collect pods that are already open, as they might be infested with insects.
• Test the seams of the pod, if they “pop” open with gentle pressure they are ready.
• Freshly collected pods should be dried and kept in paper grocery bags (not plastic) and stored in a cool, dry place until delivered to the collection site.
• We are only collecting pods from common milkweed, not butterflyweed, Indian hemp, swamp milkweed or related plants.
• It is recommended to wear gloves when harvesting the pods.
Milkweed pods can be dropped off at the local SWCD office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The collected seeds will be used to establish new plantings and create additional habitat for the monarch butterfly throughout Ohio in the coming years.
OPHI was formed in response to the 2014 petition to list the monarch butterfly as federally endangered. Its partners include state of Ohio agencies, universities, corporations and non-profit organizations.
The organization’s mission is to inform citizens, landowners, farmers and government agencies of the importance of pollinators and the habitat they need to survive. Members of the initiative are a core group of professionals who provide education, outreach and technical assistance to all who have an interest in pollinators and protecting the food supply.
For more information, contact the Logan Soil and Water Conservation District at (937) 404-3150 or visit www.co.logan.oh.us/454/Soil-Water-Conservation-District.