House Joint Resolution 2001
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
BY FREEMAN
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION
1 A Joint Resolution designating the monarch butterfly as the
2 official state insect of the State of Iowa.
3 WHEREAS, the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is native to
4 Iowa and is one of the most successful and widely distributed
5 animal species in the world; and
6 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies delight Iowans, young and old, by
7 their abundance and by their striking, vivid orange and black
8 coloration; and
9 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies lay their eggs only on milkweed
10 and monarch caterpillars feed only on milkweed, so Iowa provides
11 a wonderful home to these beautiful creatures with its abundant
12 milkweed that is common near farm fields and in other
13 uncultivated areas; and
14 WHEREAS, due to the abundance of milkweed, about half of the
15 world's population of monarchs originates in Iowa and the
16 neighboring corn belt states; and
17 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies are unique in the animal world
18 because their diet of milkweed gives them a natural toxin which
19 protects them from predators; and
20 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies of Iowa and neighboring states
21 are also unique because they are the only butterflies in the
22 world to make a mass long=distance migration in the fall; and
23 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies sense the seasonal changes of
24 light and temperature in the fall and gather together for their
25 amazing annual 3,000=mile journey from Iowa to spend the winter
1 in central Mexico, earning them the nickname "The International
2 Travelers"; and
3 WHEREAS, monarch butterflies return to Iowa every May to
4 herald the return of spring and to enchant Iowans once again with
5 their delicate beauty; NOW THEREFORE,
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
7 TLSB 5134HH 80
8 av/sh/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. STATE INSECT DESIGNATED. The monarch butterfly
1 2 (Danaus plexippus) is designated and shall be officially known
1 3 as the state insect of Iowa.
1 4 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATE REPRESENTATIONS. The director of the
1 5 department of cultural affairs shall obtain appropriate
1 6 pictures and other representations of the monarch butterfly
1 7 and shall display the pictures and representations in an
1 8 appropriate place in the state historical museum.
1 9 Sec. 3. OFFICIAL REGISTER. The editor of the Iowa
1 10 official register shall include an appropriate picture and
1 11 commentary of the monarch butterfly in the Iowa official
1 12 register, along with the pictures of the state rock, state
1 13 flower, state bird, and state tree.
1 14 EXPLANATION
1 15 This joint resolution designates the monarch butterfly as
1 16 the official state insect of Iowa. The director of the
1 17 department of cultural affairs is required to obtain pictures
1 18 and other appropriate representations of the monarch butterfly
1 19 and display the pictures and information in the state
1 20 historical museum. The editor of the Iowa official register
1 21 is required to include in the register a picture of the
1 22 monarch butterfly along with the pictures of the state rock,
1 23 state bird, state tree, and state flower.
1 24 LSB 5134HH 80
1 25 av/sh/8
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