Monarch butterflies are free

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/05/2022 (1391 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

I’m not sure I really understood the meaning of the word “breathtaking” until I had experienced the magical beauty of the El Rosario, the winter home of the monarch butterflies located in the central mountains of Mexico. I’d like to share the experience with you.

After climbing though pine forests throughout the morning, at midday I was standing in the total stillness of a mountain meadow, as all around me millions of butterflies, warmed by the sun, rose from the surrounding trees to fill the space with the flutter of their orange wings. I was so overtaken by the beauty and serenity of the moment that I forgot to breathe. It is a moment I shall never forget.

The numbers of monarch butterflies have been decreasing over the years since my first visit to El Rosario, for a variety of reasons. Of particular concern is the loss of habitat on the corridors between their summer home in Canada and their winter residence in Mexico. Illegal logging in mountainsides to their winter habitat has also taken its toll.

You can help support the survival of our monarchs by planting their host plants in your gardens. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed which is a very attractive flowering perennial with bunches of tiny flowers on tall stems. There are seven varieties of milkweed native to Manitoba. Some varieties can be found at garden centres, with more varietal availability at local native plant suppliers. It’s a tall plant and spreads readily when planted in your garden, so it makes a nice feature in the middle of a free- standing bed, or at the back of the garden.

Swamp milkweed is the host plant, but monarchs and other butterflies require access to other flowers to feed on the nectar generated by them. The addition of bright blossoms such as bee balm, marigolds, echinacea and Joe Pye weed will encourage the visit of many varieties of butterflies to your garden. A source of water in your garden is also a welcome attraction for them.

By the way, Manitoba hosts more than 150 different species of butterflies at various locations throughout the province. For more information about the butterflies of Manitoba, Manitoba Butterflies: A Field Guide, by Simone Hébert Allard, is an excellent resource. It is available from Turnstone Press.