How to Create a Monarch Butterfly Waystation

Butterflies add a sense of peace and beauty to any garden, and one of the most amazing butterflies is the Monarch.

Why is the Monarch amazing? For me, it’s because the Monarch instinctively knows every fall to begin migrating to the warmer weather in Mexico – where they overwinter before returning in the spring.

So how can you attract more Monarchs to your butterfly garden? Start by creating a Monarch Waystation to attract and provide for those orange and black beauties.

A Monarch Waystation is a program encouraged by MonarchWatch, a national organization to study and preserve the Monarch butterfly.

Creating a waystation in your yard is fun and easy. You simply need four things: Nectar plants to provide food, a water source, plants for shelter and plants to rear young.

Why create a Monarch Waystation?

The increase in urban sprawl, the use of no-till farming practices, roadside mowing and other destruction of nesting areas has led to the need for Monarch conservation.

A Monarch Waystation provides a place for Monarch to nest, feed, mate, lay eggs and in the fall rest during their migration to Mexico.

If you already have a butterfly garden in your yard, it’s not hard to add the right plants for it to also serve as a Monarch Waystation.

1.Milkweeds are the most important plant in a Monarch Waystation. Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of milkweed leaves and the young caterpillars feed on the plant. The milkweed contains toxins called cardiac glycosides that the caterpillars must ingest. This toxin causes the Monarch butterflies and caterpillars to be poisonous to most predators.

Without milkweed, the Monarchs can’t survive.

The more milkweed you have the better. Use the Internet and wildflower books to familiarize yourself with the variety of milkweed in your area. Check with local garden centers, your local Cooperative Extension office or Department of Natural Resources to find out what milkweed species can be found in your area.

Seeds can be bought through www.monarchwatch.org . You can also collect seed pods in the fall and save them for planting in the spring. You can also check fields and roadsides for milkweed plants then dig them up. Make sure you have permission before doing this. Because my family owns several hundred acres of farmland, I have found plenty of milkweed free for the taking.

Once you are familiar with what you are looking for, you’ll notice milkweed growing everywhere.

Planting a variety of milkweed would be ideal. In my Waystation I’ve planted Butterfly Milkweed and Common Milkweed. Just this year I’ve added Swamp Milkweed plants. These are all native to my area and were all obtained through collecting seed pods or digging plants growing wild.

2. Nectar plants

In addition to milkweed, Monarchs need plants to feed on. MonarchWatch.org gives lists of suggested perennials, annuals, and biennials, but here are the plants I have provided in my garden.

Zinnias, Sedum, Goldenrod, Floss Flower (wild ageratum), White Mist Flower, Cosmos, Blackeyed Susan, Shasta Daisy, Catmint, Salvia, Yarrow, Coneflowers

3.Water source

Monarchs also need a water source – a puddling area works best. For mine, I have a bird bath containing sand, various sized rocks and enough water to soak into the sand but not enough to cover the rocks. I also put rotten fruit in the birdbath as it attracts numerous butterflies.

4.Shelter

Shelter is provided by planting flowers close together so the butterflies have places to hide from predators.

A Monarch Waystation can be certified and listed with MonarchWatch.org. There is a small fee and you have the opportunity to purchase a plastic sign designating your garden as an official Monarch Waystation.

I created my Waystation last year and certified it with MonarWatch.org. This year I have enjoyed watching the great number of Monarch who have come to visit.

I have even collected caterpillars in various instars (ages) and placed them into butterfly huts. My children and I have watched in fascination as we fed them and saw them grow every day until they finally created chrysalids and eventually emerged as Monarch butterflies. We have enjoyed releasing those butterflies and watching them fly into the garden to feed and prepare for their long journey to Mexico.

Even if you don’t certify your Monarch Waystation, you’ll enjoy watching your flying guests and know that you are doing a small part to aid in the conservation of a special species.

Reference:

• www.monarchwatch.org