We’ve got one heck of an auction this go-around, covering such variety as pearl premieres, John Deere’s, orange pumpkins, even spooky skeletons—well, zombies, technically. But let’s face it; zombies are just skeletons that haven’t gone on a weight loss program. (and, if the movie they’re in lets them talk, zombies don’t have nearly as good of puns, whereas skeletons can just say something like, “I’ve got a bone to pick with you!” and suddenly I fall in love with the film)
There’s something for everyone this time, be sure to take a look if you’re curious! That said, there’s one something in particular that has raised more than a few brows: The Monarch Teardrop. This one-of-a-kind knife was made by famous scrimshaw artist Linda Karst, and depicts the Monarch Butterfly in flight above sunflowers. While the knife is to die for, the Monarch Butterfly is an interesting subject in and of itself, considering that the creature takes part in one of the most fascinating insect behaviors: They migrate hundreds of miles to Mexico and southern California in order to survive winter. The creatures will then return to northern America to breed. The butterflies do this entirely instinctual, as the herds that travel south for the winter and the ones returning are separated by, on average, four generations, so it’s impossible for it to be a learned trait.
Sadly, not everything has been going well for the Monarchs. The population of the butterflies traveling to survive the winter has dropped over fifty percent for the ones residing west of the Rocky Mountains and over ninety percent east of the Rockies. Scientists have shown that nearly a staggering billion butterflies have vanished since 1990, due to a variety of factors. Though there have been steps made to protect their offspring by conservation agents, their future remains uncertain. If you’d like to learn more about these incredible creatures, visit Monarchwatch