MAKE A HOME FOR THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY

A butterfly that has several host plants has a better chance of surviving than a butterfly that only has a single host plant such as the monarch butterfly. If the host plant is gone the butterfly can be lost.

Too often, milkweed is eradicated from the natural environment. Property owners impact butterfly habitat every time land and habitat decisions are made. Mowing down roadsides when monarch caterpillars are eating milkweed, using herbicides and pesticides in the home landscape, and draining and filling wetlands all have a negative impact on butterflies.

Planting milkweed invites the monarch butterfly into the home landscape. The aromatic flower offers sanctuary to the monarch butterfly. The adult butterfly leaves eggs on the underside of host plants (milkweed), and the next monarch generation is born. The monarch caterpillar (larva) only eats milkweed leaves. In Wisconsin, I have identified and photographed several species of milkweed including butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), swamp milkweed (A. incarnata), poke milkweed (A. exaltata), and common milkweed (A. syriaca).

After several weeks of continual feeding, and when the caterpillar has eaten its way to full size, it will wander off to a plant, attach itself to a plant stem or leaf and form the classic "J" shape. Never touch the butterfly when it is turning into the chrysalis stage. It is now ready to pupate and creates a green jewel color chrysalis with scattered gold-spots and a band. The beautiful gold markings allows the wings to develop color.

It takes about two weeks for the adult butterfly to emerge. The green chrysalis will start to darken up and turn completely black before the wings of the butterfly can be seen through a developing clear chrysalis. The black color indicates that the butterfly is about to be born. Good weather and sunny conditions help the butterfly know when it is time to be born, and it can take up to three hours for the butterfly to emerge from the chrysalis.

Butterflies usually enter the world mid morning. Once the adult monarch is free of the chrysalis, it needs to dry its wings. The butterfly swallows air and pumps fluids into the wing veins to fully expand them. It is beautiful to see a monarch flip its wings over to sun the underside of the wings. The drying process can take several hours. At the same time, the butterfly laboriously inches its way to the top of a plant. After it has ascended to a flying perch and its wings are dry, it will take its first flight.

The butterfly will now try to locate a safe place to rest for the night and prefers to be near nectaring plants even though it doesn't need to nectar right away. Watching the different stages of the monarch's life unfold is a wondrous connection with the natural world; the closer we live to nature the more we respect it and understand our relationship to all living things.

Butterflies look for bright colors in the garden and gravitate towards larger groupings rather than individual placement of flowers. Adult monarchs prefer a variety of plants and are often attracted to the nectar of native plants such as: Asters, purple coneflower, goldenrod, fireweed, boneset, Joe Pye-weed, black eyed-Susan, and blazing star. They will gravitate toward sedum (Autumn Joy), day lilies and tiger lilies. Adults favor the nectar of different milkweed flower also.

Annual flowers too offer nectar and monarchs prefer cosmos and zinnia, and at times can be seen on morning glories.