Lend a Hand!

You and your young students can make a difference, and learn something. Planting milkweed is a simple way you can help butterflies this summer. Milkweed is the only plant where monarch butterflies lay their eggs, and it is the main food source for monarch caterpillars. By planting milkweed in gardens, parks, or even pots at home, you can create safe places where butterflies can grow and thrive. Watching caterpillars hatch and turn into butterflies can also help students learn more about nature and the life cycle of insects.

During the summer, monarch butterflies travel across North America as part of their long migration journey. Along the way, they need places to rest and find food. Milkweed plants provide shelter and nectar that help butterflies stay healthy during their travels. Kids can make a difference by planting native milkweed species, watering the plants, and avoiding harmful pesticides that can hurt butterflies and other pollinators.

By taking action this summer, kids can become young scientists and protect an important part of nature.

For more information about monarch butterfly migration patterns and conservation, these organizations have excellent educational resources:

• Monarch Joint Venture

• Journey North Monarch Migration Maps

• World Wildlife Fund – Monarch Butterflies

• U.S. Forest Service Monarch Information