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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.