Monarch Hotspot Behind Maintenance Shop, Proves Even The Smallest Flower Boxes Can Aid Pollinator Conservation
As the park ecologist (and also an avid butterfly admirer ), I have made it my mission this summer to monitor as many locations across our park for monarch butterfly activity. Since June, I have diligently counted hundreds of monarch eggs, larval instars, chrysalises, adult monarchs and the number of milkweed plants they have been found on too. If you are a golfer, there is a good chance you might have stopped to ask me what I was looking at on #17 of the Green Course or perhaps #11 of the Red Course. If you are a biker or picnic-goer, you may have even seen me scanning the garden for bright orange flowers called butterflyweed. This is one of the milkweed host plants that monarch caterpillars feed on. While much of my time has been spent monitoring these types of protected pollinator spaces, this year our maintenance crew brought my attention to another location...one, small flower box behind the mechanic shop, bursting with color and absolutely COVERED in monarch cater...