Planting Habitat
In the last post we talked about the current plight of the monarch butterfly and how habitat destruction through the use of herbicides has reduced the available milkweed which is the only plant they use for reproduction. I want to talk a little more about how everyone can help and where to go to get what you need to plant the right habitat for monarch butterflies.
The single biggest step we can take to help monarchs is to plant milkweed and other native wildflowers. Pick an open space in an area that can be dedicated to perennials, this area should also be away from any area that might be sprayed with either insecticides or herbicides. You then need to select a variety of wildflowers that are native to your region. These wildflowers should mature at different times of the year in order to provide the butterflies food throughout the entire season. There should be a combination of early season, mid season, and late season flowers. The last, and most important, is to select a milkweed variety that is native to your area.
There is an organization called Monarch Watch that has a wealth of information on how to help the butterfly. One of the services they provide is a “Milkweed Market”. This market sells milkweed plants that are native to a specific region. You simply go to the site, type in your zip code, and it will list the types of milkweed you should plant in your area. Your best bet though is to find a seed company in your area and purchase a pollinator blend of seeds that has all of the needed components in the mix. On Monarch Watch website they have a list of seed producers and some of these sell these types of blends. All it takes is a little research. Now go out and plant some habitat!
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