May 18, 2022
My backyard butterfly garden has been certified as a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch. These Monarch Waystations are monarch habitats, gardens or areas that provide the necessary resources like host plants, nectar plants, shelter and water for the monarch butterflies.
This spring I have expanded my backyard butterfly garden and added more host plants for the monarchs. My garden now has 4 swamp milkweed plants and 6 butterfly weed plants. In addition, I started growing some common milkweed and have 6 healthy seedlings that will eventually be planted in my garden. I have added many nectar plants to my garden as well. Some of these plants include lantana, zinnias, Joe-pye weed, goldenrod, aster and bee balm. It is really important to provide both types of food sources such as host plants and nectar plants for both caterpillars and adult monarchs.
These waystations help to provide the resources for the monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their yearly migration. The conservation concern is the loss habitat at the monarchs overwintering locations as well their breeding areas in Canada and the United States. The monarchs need host plants, which are milkweed plants, for larvae as well as nectar plants for energy food sources for adults.
The Monarch Waystation certification program is offered by the Monarch Watch. According to Monarch Watch, as of 15 May 2022, there have been 38,593 Monarch Waystation habitats registered with Monarch Watch. You can help with monarch conservation by creating and registering your Monarch Waystation with Monarch Watch.
When you register your waystation with Monarch Watch you will get a certificate with your name and your habitat’s unique Monarch Waystation ID number which will be included in an online listing of worldwide Monarch Waystations. Additionally, you have an opportunity to purchase a weatherproof Monarch Waystation sign to display in your monarch habitat.
To learn more about Monarch Waystations, here is a link to a brochure with more information on the waystations by Monarch Watch.
Thank you for reading my Field Notes Blog, and I hope you will share this post with others.
Let’s protect our wildlife and nature!
All the very best,
Lori
Copyright © 2022 Lori A Cash
Wonderful post and projec! Love the blog update and info share. You make a difference!
Thank you very much, Katy!