Known for their striking coloration, the monarch butterfly is loved by many young and old alike. When we see them flying around us, there is an inevitable excitement in seeing these creatures in our garden or around us in nature.
In recent years, there have been indications that this beautiful creature may be close to making it on the list of endangered species. This is why it is so important to give back to these butterflies and try to provide some of our own garden space just for them and their survival.
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How to Help Butterflies Survive
The main way we can do this is by adding Milkweed to our own gardens and create more space for the butterfly’s life cycle to begin. The Monarch butterfly and all butterflies have a purpose in our ecosystem.
They work hard to pollinate many flowering plants because they carry pollen from plant to plant after drinking the flower’s nectar. This then assists in the overall food chain as well. This is why they Monarch butterflies are so important.
What is the Monarch butterfly?
Why is it so unique? Let’s start with the history of the Monarch to help us understand more about the Monarch butterfly.
There are several theories regarding the history and origins of the Monarch butterfly. But researchers have agreed that it is native to the Americas dating back to over 2 million years ago.
It is considered one of the most successful species not just due to its intricate migration patterns, but also because it has developed adaptations to ensure its survival over time.
Case in point: The monarch butterfly is referred to as the milkweed butterfly for the specific reason that it has been able to synthesize the milk of the milkweed to such an advanced degree that it secretes a bitter substance, making it unpalatable to birds. How crazy is that? They found a plant that they can use for food and at the same time it helps them survive predators!
In essence the Monarch’s evolution designed it’s actual biology to adapt to its surroundings and to ensure its survival against the butterfly’s main predator…. A bird…
The interesting part is some other butterfly species have evolved to look quite similar to these monarchs, like the Viceroy butterfly, all as a ploy to fool birds into thinking they share the same trait!I Genius evolution right there!
So, what makes Milkweed such an important part of the monarch's lifespan or what makes it have such a huge impact on the survival of the Monarch species?
Besides what we mentioned above – It is not just because it is used as a predator repellent. Most of the monarch's life cycle is dependent on this plant.
The depositing of the eggs and the food for the monarch's hatched larva consists of the little hairs on these plants leaves, the 5 stages of molting, and into adulthood.
This is why the milkweed is so important to the Monarch Butterflies full life circle. Milkweed provides pollen, a place for them to lay eggs, food for the caterpillars, a location for the caterpillar to go through their chrysalis process and then form into butterflies and start the process all over again.
Helping the Monarch by adding Milkweed to your garden, is in turn helping the pollination of plants here on our earth. The impact of the Monarch on our earth is larger than we think.
We need Monarchs, just like we need other insects to keep plants growing and the food chain moving along in the correct direction for all species and it all helps our overall ecosystem.
How can we help the Monarch? and why are Monarchs Endangered?
Monarchs require a very intricate balance for them to effectively breed sustainably, a balance that has been upset substantially by deforestation and human interference with the killing of many of the milkweed plants.
Unfortunately, this isn't the half of it. Researchers project that the effects of climate change, higher carbon dioxide levels and the impending destruction of the milkweed, which is the only food that the larva of these magnificent insects eat, will all result in a drastic decline in the population of monarchs soon.
In addition, it is possible that climate change will necessitate these insects to travel much further in search of favorable breeding conditions, which means they need to adapt, perhaps grow bigger wings, or die.
The threats to milkweed, the increase in atmospheric Carbon dioxide, deforestation, and the increase in overall temperatures are all key indicators to the kind of elements that are threatening monarch butterflies to the point of extinction.
What to Feed a Monarch Butterfly?
Monarchs are predominantly attracted to nectar-rich plants, so you can plant anything from lilacs to any type of flowers that has nectar. Some people usually try to actively provide a kind of sugar-rich solution to supplement the lack of nectar, but if you are seriously looking to provide a habitat for a colony of monarchs, then the best and most important plant to grow in your backyard is milkweed.
The milkweed is the single most important lifeline a monarch has, not just in terms of nourishment, but also because the metamorphosis from egg to adult depends solely on this plant.
You can also go for goldenrods, red clover, or in some cases, you can supply fruits that are juicy like watermelon or perhaps an orange.
The best way to ensure you contribute to their survival is to start small, begin with planting milkweed in your backyard as a way to ensure they have a habitat that encourages breeding.
You can also plant nectar-rich plants as a forage options, and, most importantly, look at the environmental factors that are endangering these beautiful creatures, and try to see what you can do to improve these conditions.
A change in human behavior like adding Milkweed to your own garden can help safeguard the continuity of this species.
