Your Spring Garden Can Benefit Multiple Species At Risk

With spring less than one week away many people, myself included, are anxious to get back out in their gardens. Gardening for me isn’t just about having an aesthetically pleasing yard, it is about creating habitat for as many species as possible. In the eight years I have been in my current home I have transformed my yard from an area void of trees, shrubs, flowers and wildlife, to a natural area that is now filled with a variety of native flora and consequently visited by several species of bird, insect, and mammal.

IMG 4858 1 - Your Spring Garden Can Benefit Multiple Species At Risk — The genus Asclepias or Milkweeds are the only host plant for the Monarch Butterfly. No Milkweed means no Monarchs.

Adding Milkweed to my yard last year was an easy decision, as I wanted to do my part to help save the Monarch Butterfly. Monarch numbers have declined so drastically in recent years that they are now listed as a Species at Risk. Milkweed is critical to the survival of the Monarch Butterfly as it is the only plant consumed by Monarch caterpillars. Several Milkweeds are available, all of the genus Asclepias, which are host plants for this fragile butterfly. I chose Common Milkweed because it is native to my area, and has a wonderful fragrance when in bloom.

IMG 4885 1 - Your Spring Garden Can Benefit Multiple Species At Risk — Monarch Butterfly on a Common Milkweed leaf.

March is the perfect month to start growing Common Milkweed from seed indoors. By germinating seeds now, the small plants will be ready to plant outdoors in your garden after the threat of frost. For those of us in the London, Ontario area, it is recommended waiting until the Victoria Day weekend in May.

IMG 4853 1 - Your Spring Garden Can Benefit Multiple Species At Risk — Making a small donation to Swift Care Ontario in exchange for a package of Milkweed seeds for your garden is a great way for anyone to help save multiple Species at Risk.

If you wish to obtain Common Milkweed seeds so you can start your own plants indoors, and you wish to help more Species at Risk than just the Monarch Butterfly, a great option exists. Swift Care Ontario, a local, licensed wildlife rehabiltator has put together Common Milkweed seed packages that are available in exchange for a donation to their centre. Detailed instructions for germinating the seeds and transplanting can be found on their website. If you are not familiar with Swift Care Ontario, they specialize in rehabilitating injured and orphaned Species at Risk birds, most notably aerial insectivores, including Chimney Swifts, Common Nighthawks, Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows and Eastern Whip-Poor-Wills. These seed packages are available at local bird feed retailer Hyde Park Feed and Country Store or by contacting Swift Care Ontario. Your donation will help Swift Care Ontario purchase food and other supplies needed in the 2015 season to raise and care for these fragile species. Licensed wildlife rehabilitation centres in Ontario, such as Swift Care Ontario, do not receive funding from the government and rely solely on donations from the public. Not only will your donation help Swift Care Ontario preserve Species at Risk birds, your Milkweed garden will also help preserve Monarch Butterflies in your own backyard. Pick up one of these seed packages today and help save multiple Species at Risk.

Good birding,
Paul

Milkweed Attracts More Than Just Monarch Butterflies

If you still haven’t added Milkweed to your garden to help save the Monarch Butterfly, what are you waiting for? Not only is Milkweed essential to the monarch’s survival, it also looks and smells great in any garden. When in bloom, the fragrance from a patch of Milkweed can be taken in from quite a distance. With it’s height, Milkweed is the perfect plant to add to the back row of a garden, or use to conceal unsightly objects, such as gas meters or telephone boxes on front lawns.

A native species to Ontario, Milkweed is perfect for attracting not only Monarch Butterflies but other insects as well. Several species of butterfly readily feed on the nectar from it’s beautiful flowers and other pollinators like bees can be seen gathering pollen throughout it’s bloom. Aphids, gnats, and spiders can also all be found on Milkweed. Dragon and damselflies will quickly be attracted to Milkweed patches to feed on these smaller insects.

IMG 5099 1 - Milkweed Attracts More Than Just Monarch Butterflies — This Great Spangled Fritillary feeds on the nectar of a Milkweed flower.

IMG 4363 1 - Milkweed Attracts More Than Just Monarch Butterflies — Several species of butterfly, like this Red Admiral, are drawn to the nectar of the Milkweed flower.

As the quantity and variety of insects increases in a Milkweed patch, so too will the number of bird species. Insects are a food source to almost all birds and they will soon find quite the smorgasbord within the Milkweed. Some of the bird species I observed this past week feeding on insects in various Milkweed patches include: Yellow Warblers, Warbling Vireos, Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Phoebes, and Eastern Kingbirds.

As you can see, adding a section of Milkweed will not only help the future of the Monarch Butterfly, but will create a diverse habitat for other organisms and thus increase the amount of wildlife in your yard. Definitely a win-win situation for both the monarch and nature lovers too.

Good birding,
Paul

Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly

By now most are aware of the decline in Monarch Butterfly numbers and that Milkweed is necessary for their survival. So far in 2014, governments, environmental groups, and citizens have all been taking measures to ensure the survival of this beautiful butterfly. For the most part, this has been in the form of planting various types of milkweed and protecting existing patches.

On my many outings throughout the city this year I have been paying close attention to milkweed patches, checking for any signs of monarchs. Early June produced a single monarch fluttering over a meadow containing various wildflowers, milkweed included, in the west end of Greenway Park. I was optimistic for future sightings and hoped that this area would potentially be a breeding ground for the monarchs.

IMG 4858 1 - Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly — Several Monarch Butterflies in a large meadow containing Milkweed and other wildflowers has me hopeful their numbers will rebound.

As weeks went by, I continually checked this area hoping to see more monarchs or evidence that they had been reproducing. Several insects, including bees and other butterfly species could be seen feeding on nectar and gathering pollen from the milkweed and various wildflowers, but unfortunately no more monarchs were seen, nor were any eggs or caterpillars. My optimism faded, but I continued to observe the area whenever I found myself walking there.

My faded optimism quickly turned into excitement this past week when another monarch sighting took place. I was photographing some of the various birds and wildlife in the area, which on this day included: Yellow Warblers, Red-winged Blackbirds, an Eastern Kingbird, and White-tailed Deer, when I caught a hint of back and orange flutter past. To my delight it was a Monarch Butterfly. I watched as it flew back and forth over the meadow eventually settling on a Milkweed flower. I quickly snapped several photos then watched as it flew off over the field. Satisfied with my sighting and photos my attention returned to the deer and bird species.

As I watched a doe grazing on the variety of plants, once again a monarch passed by. As I carried on a little further, another Milkweed plant revealed a Monarch Butterfly feeding on it’s nectar. Curious as to whether it was the same butterfly covering a lot of ground or multiple Monarch Butterflies in the area, I scanned the tops of the flowers. I quickly observed several Monarch Butterflies fluttering low over the meadow and clinging to the Milkweed and various wildflowers within it.

IMG 4885 1 - Greenway Park Showing Signs Of Hope For The Monarch Butterfly — Monarch Butterfly on a Milkweed leaf.

Having only seen one Monarch Butterfly in all of 2013, and not within the city, this was a welcome sighting. Whether or not it is a sign of their numbers rebounding, or just one small group in a dwindling population, only time will tell. Hopefully another generation of monarchs will get their start here in one of London’s beautiful parks. To access Greenway Park, turn onto Greenside Avenue from Springbank Drive and follow the road into the park. Be sure to make the quick right hand turn before the pollution control center. I recommend parking in the large lot directly across from the off leash dog area. From there the large patch of Milkweed is on the far side of the soccer pitch. Remember to keep a close eye and ear for all the great wildlife that call Greenway Park home.

Good birding,
Paul

Do Your Part To Help The Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly numbers are fast declining. In the Monarch butterfly’s wintering area in Mexico, scientists recorded the lowest levels of Monarchs ever in December 2013, a decrease of 44% from the previous year. They are declining everywhere. Here in Ontario, the destruction of Milkweed is the leading factor contributing to their dropping numbers. Common Milkweed up until this year was considered an invasive species in Ontario, and is destroyed every year by farmers using herbicides. Milkweed’s sap is toxic to some livestock and the stickiness of it can cause combines to become clogged during the harvest. Large quantities of Milkweed mixed in with a crop decreases yields and farmers profits; three factors leading to it’s eradication on farms. Milkweed is the only plant Monarch caterpillars feed on and thus the only plant where female Monarchs lay their eggs. As the Milkweed declines, so too does the Monarch.

The life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly is quite interesting. The life span of most adults is two to six weeks. Monarchs that have spent the winter in Mexico are about to start their migration north through the United States and into Canada. As the butterflies migrate north they lay their eggs on Milkweed plants. After laying the eggs the adult butterflies will die two to six weeks later. The eggs then hatch into caterpillars and they begin to feed on the Milkweed plant. After about two weeks the caterpillar attaches itself to a leaf using silk and becomes a chrysalis. This is when the caterpillar begins to change into a butterfly. The chrysalis phase lasts ten days and then the adult butterfly will emerge. Once the adult Monarch has emerged it will feed on the nectar from a variety of plants but the caterpillars only eat Milkweed. The new generation of Monarchs continue north with the new females laying eggs on Milkweed and then dying two to six weeks later. The entire migration consists of four generations of Monarchs with the last ones becoming butterflies in September or October. This generation has a longer life span, six to eight months, and is the one that migrates south to Mexico for the winter. After wintering in Mexico it is this fourth generation that migrates north the following spring to start the cycle again.

Common Milkweed has now been removed from the invasive species list in Ontario, in an effort to save the Monarch Butterfly. If you are reluctant to plant Milkweed because of the potential of it being poisonous to some animals if consumed, simply plant it in an area where your pet can’t access it. Take a look at a list of other common garden plants that are considered poisonous to dogs; many of these plants you may already have in your yard, for instance: Hostas, English Ivy, Clematis and Rose of Sharon to name a few. Adding Milkweed to your yard or not pulling existing Milkweed is the best way to help by giving these butterflies a place to lay their eggs and continue their life cycle. There are several species of Milkweed, so find out which is best suited to your area and yard conditions. Any member of the Asclepias (milkweed) family will do. Have several flowering bushes or fruit tress to first attract Monarchs to your yard and they will quickly find and use the Milkweed for laying their eggs. Flowers that bloom into early fall are important too, as their nectar will provide necessary energy for the Monarch’s long migration south.

Milkweed is the key to the future of the Monarch Butterfly. As it migrates north these plants are imperative to the Monarch’s life cycle and the existence of the species. We can only control what happens in our own backyard so don’t sit back and watch this species decline further. Do your part to help these beautiful butterflies survive and rebound. If you only plant one thing in your garden this spring, make sure it is Milkweed.

Good birding,
Paul