Seed Bombs Away

North Texas bike ride drops friendly bombs on bees and butterflies

If there is no milkweed, there will be no monarch butterfly.

Photo by Marshall Hinsley

Those who love bees and bicycling will want to sign up for the Great Seed Bombon November 14,a 15-mile fundraiser and bike ride that benefits bees, monarchs, and other pollinators at Clear Fork Food Truck Park in Fort Worth.

Riders will participate in a practice called "throw and grow." They'll toss "seed balls," containing seeds for milkweed and wildflower plants, to bloom in the spring.

Ride founder Jillian Jordan says that the goal in planting native seeds is to support "our bee and butterfly friends," as well as raise money and awareness.

The bee population has dropped from 6 million beehives in 1947 to 2.4 million today. Bees aren't the only pollinator at risk: 90 percent of the monarch butterfly population is gone, due primarily to the use of glyphosate (Roundup), an herbicide destroying the monarch habitat, which consists of milkweed and wildflowers.

If there is no milkweed, there will be no monarch. It's where they lay their eggs, and monarch larvae feed almost exclusively on milkweed.

Jordan is watching the turnout for Fort Worth, with the goal of expanding to other cities. "If the pilot ride is successful, we have plans to take this event to Austin, Houston, and other large cities along the migratory path of the monarch," she says.

The ride will follow a route along the Trinity Trail/Clear Fork natural area. It's an all-ages event, giving everyone a chance to contribute. Pre-registration is $35.50 for adults and $16.50 for kids, and $39.50 the day of the event. Participants get T-shirts and fanny packs, and there will be prizes awarded for the best bee and butterfly costumes.

Those who wanted to participate but couldn't ride attended a seed ball-making party on November 7 at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas, where they built 3,000 balls made of seeds, organic compost, and clay.

And everyone can turn their lawn into a monarch-friendly habitat by curtailing the use of pesticides and going with native plants.

"With a problem this widespread, it's easy to feel powerless," Jordan says. "In testing incremental solutions that are tangible, digestible, and scalable, perhaps we can feel empowered in the face of even the biggest environmental problems."

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Animal News

Wills Point, Texas man charged with cruelty for abandoning 18 animals

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Lucas Wayne Penrod, charged with animal cruelty

Another animal cruelty case has emerged from Van Zandt County, resulting in the arrest of a Wills Point man: Lucas Wayne Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

It began on Friday, October 24, when the Wills Point Police Department performed a welfare check at a mobile home within the city limits. Officers became concerned when they heard multiple dogs barking along with a foul odor of animal waste.

On October 25, after obtaining a search warrant, Wills Point PD and the SPCA of Texas ACI Unit entered the residence and found multiple animals living in deplorable conditions.

The mobile home was filled with trash and animal feces. The team discovered a total of 8 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 4 adult dogs, and 4 puppies, cruelly confined to the unsanitary living conditions on the property.

Two dogs were confined to filthy crates with no access to water.
Three puppies were in a small bathroom covered in urine and feces; one of the puppies was deceased and decomposing.
The guinea pigs were found in a cage without access to food or water.

Most of the animals showed signs of long-term neglect and were in dire need of urgent medical intervention. The animals were seized by the SPCA of Texas and transported to the organization's Dallas location for veterinary care.

Dog in cage Wills Point Lucas Wayne Penrod Dog abandoned in Wills Point by Lucas Wayne Penrod.SPCA

On October 26, Lucas Wayne Penrod, the owner of the animals, contacted an SPCA of Texas Investigator regarding the animals. The Investigator determined that Penrod had unlawfully allegedly abandoned the animals, failing to provide them with proper care, resulting in the death of one of the puppies and the critical state of the surviving animals.

On October 28, the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigations (ACI) Unit obtained an arrest warrant for Penrod, who was apprehended by Tyler Police Department and booked into the Smith County Jail with a $50K bond. Penrod was charged with Cruelty to Nonlivestock Animals, a 3rd degree felony.

On November 1, at a civil custody hearing at the Van Zandt County Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 courthouse in Wills Point, Penrod relinquished custody of the 18 allegedly abandoned, cruelly treated animals to the SPCA.

"The squalid conditions these beautiful animals were living in were abhorrent--locked in spaces without food or water, in their own excrement," said SPCA of Texas ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns, CAWA. "This is some of the worst mistreatment of domestic animals I've seen in my extensive career in animal cruelty investigations. In no small part, these pets owe their lives to the Wills Point Police Department. If it wasn’t for their quick thinking to involve us right away, I don't think the animals would have made it."

"This case perfectly illustrates the team effort that investigating and prosecuting animal cruelty cases in Texas is," Burns added. "We are extremely thankful to the Tyler Police Department for their efficient assistance in apprehending Penrod so that he can be brought to justice in the timeliest manner possible. And we are especially grateful to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and court system with whom we continue to partner to get justice for abused animals in their jurisdiction."