Brightside Helping You Help the Monarchs

May 15, 2014

Brightside Helping You Help the Monarchs

As you can probably gauge from the giant Monarch sculpture at the entrance to our Demonstration Garden, we love butterflies, especially Monarchs.  Their spectacular multi-generational migration from Mexico to Canada and back each year continues to amaze children and grown-ups alike.

Sadly, the population of Monarchs has declined drastically over the years.  Researchers believe the causes of the decline include loss of milkweed, drought conditions, insecticide and herbicide use, and overwintering habitat loss due to illegal logging.  While we may not have control over some of the causes of decline, there are things we can do to help rescue Monarchs, and other butterflies.

The first thing we can do is plant milkweed and other nectar plants in our gardens and landscapes.  Milkweed provides a food source for Monarch caterpillars and is essential to their survival, while other nectar producing plants provide nourishment to adult butterflies.

On Earth Day, Mayor Slay launched Milkweeds for Monarchs: The St. Louis Butterfly Project, which is a city-wide initiative to increase Monarch habitat in public and private gardens throughout the city.  With help from St. Louis plant and butterfly experts, the City created a list of plants, called the STL Monarch Mix, to help St. Louisans establish their own butterfly gardens using plants that were carefully selected for St. Louis urban gardens.

In partnership with the Mayor’s Monarch initiative, Brightside is encouraging city residents to share the butterfly joy with their neighbors by planting community butterfly gardens on public spaces in city neighborhoods!   Community groups who participate in Brightside’s Neighbors Naturescaping program will be able to request plants from the STL Monarch Mix as well as other butterfly-loving plants on Brightside’s recommended plant list.  Learn more about Neighbors Naturescaping.

The second thing we can do is omit the use of synthetic pesticides in and around our gardens.  Butterflies are insects too, and any poison you apply to your lawn or garden can potentially harm butterflies and their larvae.

A great way to avoid the need for herbicides and pesticides is to grow Missouri native plants.  Because they have adapted to Missouri’s climate and geography, native plants thrive without the aid of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.  All of the plants offered through the Neighbors Naturescaping program are MO natives or cultivars of natives.  Many are on display in our Demo Garden, come see first-hand how you can incorporate them into your garden.

One response to “Brightside Helping You Help the Monarchs”

1. kirsten petty says:

   July 9, 2014 at 11:52 am

   Hello

   My name is Kirsten. I organize the Neighborhood Pride Garden in Gravois Park. We already ordered milkweed through another organzation. We haven’t planted it yet. We would like participate in efforts to save the monarchs. Please let us know how we can help.

   Thank you

   Kirsten

   Reply