HR0166LRB101 09999 ALS 56541 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Twenty-four species of milkweed grow naturally in
3Illinois; four of these species are listed as endangered in
4Illinois, and one of the four is listed as threatened on the
5federal endangered and threatened species list; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Milkweeds are perennial, herbaceous plants; and
 
7    WHEREAS, When an insect lands on the flower to drink
8nectar, its leg, antennae, or bristles can slip into the slit
9where the pollen is stored; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The pollen-containing structure clips onto the
11insect part; when the insect pulls away from the flower, this
12pollen packet goes too; and
 
13    WHEREAS, At another flower, the same insect body part may
14slip inside another slit in the flower column where the pollen
15needs to be delivered; and
 
16    WHEREAS, Milkweed flowers are unique in this method of
17pollen transfer; milkweeds grow in a variety of habitats; some
18of them prefer wet soil, and some of them prefer dry soil; some
19of them flourish along roads or in fields, where others grow in
20open woods or thickets; and
 

 

 

HR0166- 2 -LRB101 09999 ALS 56541 r

1    WHEREAS, A close relationship exists between monarchs and
2milkweed plants; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Monarch larvae only eat milkweed plants; if there
4is no milkweed, there will be no monarch; for this reason, the
5milkweed was recently designated as the official State
6wildflower; therefore, be it
 
7    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
8HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
9we encourage the utilization of milkweed in soil and water
10conservation practices and in Federal Conservation Reserve
11Programs (CRP); we also encourage the growth of milkweed on
12State grounds; and be it further
 
13    RESOLVED, that we urge maintenance restrictions be lifted
14for certain areas, so milkweed can be grown in the previously
15listed programs.