As of December 1, Westerville, Ohio is a friendlier place for monarch butterflies. Thanks to third grade students in Kate Mantenieks’ class, who testified before City Council in the fall, milkweed is no longer classified as a harmful, noxious weed. Monarchs feed off of milkweed nectar. Before the change, code enforcement officers could order the plant to be cut down and in rare cases, a $150 fine could be issued.
The children were featured in a November 21 Columbus Dispatch article written by Alissa Widman Neese.