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12 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | JUNE 2022 By Kirk Freyermuth I'm sure we've all seen monarch butterflies. Who doesn't marvel at these beauties with the fabulous orange wings. Have you noticed that each wing is laced with black veins and the trailing edge of the wing is delicately tipped along the edge with white dots? Even the caterpillar is spectacular with its bands of black, white, and yellow. Butterflies are fascinating creatures. Here are some amazing facts about them and the monarch in particular. • The adult female monarch butterfly lays tiny eggs covered with a sticky substance on the underside of milkweed leaves, which are extremely toxic. The caterpillar hatches from its egg several days later and survives on these milkweed leaves. • Every spring, adult monarch butterflies head north from their winter respite in the southern forests of Mexico and California, and return in the fall — a journey some 2,000 to 3,000 miles each way! • The monarch butterfly will continue to feed, fly, and reproduce throughout the U.S. and southern Canada, for several generations. It is the fourth generation of monarch butterflies that actually migrate to Mexico and California in fall. Everyone would agree that these creatures are spectacularly gorgeous, and some might argue that we should treasure them for their beauty alone, but butterflies, including Monarchs, are important for other reasons. Why are monarch butterflies important? Monarch butterflies offer the world much more than just their beauty. Monarch butterflies are pollinators. Pollinators like monarchs play a vital role in the natural ecosystem and our food system. Without pollinators, the world around us would not be the same. Aside from pollinating calendula, yarrow, and other flowers, Monarchs play another important role in the environment. They are a critical part of the food web. That's right — monarchs are a food source for birds, other insects, and small animals. While they may not be quite the pollinators that bees are, they are what we call a flagship species for conservation. This means that monarchs are well-known and very likeable, so people are more likely to get involved in working to protect them. But Monarch butterflies face a significant threat. Their survival is at risk. The loss of milkweed plants, winter habitat, and climate change are all pushing monarchs to the brink. The monarch butterfly is now a candidate to be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, but they are not extinct yet. One of the ways that we can help slow or even reverse the decline of pollinators, including Monarchs, is by providing an environment conducive to their well being. By promoting habitat restoration for monarchs, other pollinators and wildlife species are also benefiting. Enter the pollinator garden. What is a pollinator garden? In simple terms, a pollinator garden is one that attracts bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, or other beneficial creatures that transfer pollen from flower to flower, or in some cases, within flowers. Here at Four Seasons Beaumont, we've started on the road to a full-fledged pollinator garden by introducing some of the plants that pollinators need in a corner of Veteran's Park near the entrance. As time goes by, we'll add to the number of plants that we've planted. You might need your glasses to see an egg on the back of a milkweed leaf Once they hatch, you'll see how The Hungry, Hungry Caterpillar got its name Thanks to their voracious appetites, caterpillars grow quickly (and your milkweed supply will need to be replenished frequently) If you want to attract butterflies to your garden, planting milkweed (asclepia) is the first step you should take - in addition to a food source, that's where they lay eggs Other plants you'll need to make your garden a monarch habitat include lantana, verbena, butterfly bush, zinnias, cosmos, goldenrod, aster, and many more. Plus, bonus, you'll have lots of pretty flowers to enjoy along with the butterflies! This little guy is a little guy! See the dots on his wings? Girls don't have those Understanding Monarch Butterflies Understanding Monarch Butterflies

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