In the upcoming months, my goal is to help save the monarch butterfly. To achieve this, I’ve taken steps such as planting milkweed, which is the main food source for monarch caterpillars and providing nectar plants that bloom in October. I’ve also been working on creating habitats for monarch butterflies in my garden and actively supporting a National Wildlife Corridors Bill to protect their habitats along migration routes.
Here are some ways to help save the monarch butterfly:
- Plant milkweed: Milkweed is the sole food source for monarch caterpillars and provides nectar and nutrition for adult butterflies. Milkweed also makes butterflies poisonous to predators, such as birds, due to the toxins they receive from eating it. To help fight milkweed loss, you can plant milkweed native to your area.
- Provide nectar plant nectar sources that bloom in October, such as fall-bloomers, and water them regularly to keep them hydrated and able to produce nectar.
- Create monarch way-stations: Create habitats for monarch butterflies in your garden, at schools, businesses, parks, zoos, nature centers, and other unused areas. These way-stations should include host and nectar plants that monarchs need to reproduce and migrate.
- Limit pesticide use Avoid using pesticides and herbicides in your garden and landscape. If you must use something, try a gentle option, such as a soap spray.
