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Two Mainers raise endangered monarch butterflies

Two women in Berwick are raising monarch butterflies with the hope of keeping them from going extinct after they recently were deemed endangered.

BERWICK, Maine — Just last month, monarch butterflies were placed on the Endangered Species List, but experts say there are things everyone can do to keep these butterflies around.

Two Berwick women are raising these butterflies with the hopes of keeping the species going.

"People seem to think of monarchs when they think of butterflies," Amrita Cottrell, a master gardener, said.

She and Nicholl Summers are raising monarch butterflies and are expected to have 42 be released into nearby gardens.

Cottrell added that between climate change and the use of pesticides, monarch butterflies are not able to survive like before.

Through this project, Summers' three kids have been working on raising the butterflies with her.

"The kids just love sitting and watching them," Summers said.

Summers added she taught her kids the importance of plants to keep all species alive.

"Engaging in nature in a way that they can help it and preserve it and protect it when they're around it, instead of just seeing a flower, picking it, and discarding it," Summers added.

The butterflies are like bees and will fly around looking for food, and they seem to like these red zinnias right in Cottrell's garden.

So, what can everyone do to help keep these butterflies around?

Cottrell and Summers said leaving milkweed alone is a good place to start. Don't pull it or spray it with chemicals. They also said Mainers can plant some because it's the only plant monarchs will lay their eggs on.

The butterflies are endangered but not extinct, and Cottrell and Summers want to keep it that way.

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