OPINION: Concern over Pollinators' Survival Inspires Two Friends to Create Habitats for Them in Westwood

By Maria Costantini and Kate La Croix

The Incredible Life of the Monarch

As we start thinking of spring in New England, the monarch butterflies have already left their Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, and are heading north in a long, three to five generation migration to the United States and Canada. 

These beautiful butterflies are amazing long-distance flyers. This first generation will reach Texas by the end of March. There, they will mate and then lay eggs until they die. 

Monarchs feed on many flowers, but lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed; without milkweed, monarch caterpillars cannot develop into butterflies. With incredible synchrony, their offspring, once at the adult stage, in mid to late April, will continue the northbound migration, reproducing and going in multiple directions across the central and eastern United States. Some will go as far as Canada and New England. 

Their final destinations will depend on many factors - temperature, wind direction, rainfall, and availability of milkweed. Wherever they stop, they will mate and lay eggs. 

In early August, the last generation of offspring will initiate the long, 3000-mile migration back to Mexico. They won't mate or lay eggs until the following spring.

The Problem

In the last 20 years, there has been a dramatic decrease in the monarch population, mostly due to habitat loss. Use of pesticides and change in the climate patterns have also had an impact. These factors also threaten the survival of all pollinators, such as bees, native butterflies, hummingbirds, and beetles, and to a lesser extent, bats. All of them are vital to creating and maintaining healthy habitats.

What Can We Do?

We need to work together to improve habitats for pollinators, including monarchs. We can create small pollinator gardens in our front yard and backyard to provide a pathway where bees, butterflies, and other pollinators can meander and find the food and plants they need. 

As two friends concerned about the fate of pollinators, we hope to find other Westwood residents interested in getting together to share our individual experiences, ideas, and tips for what we can plant in our home gardens to support pollinators. Please reach us at wwpollinators@gmail.com.

To learn more about the monarchs and native plants, see:

• https://www.xerces.org/bring-back-the-pollinators
• https://monarchwatch.org/
• https://www.nativeplanttrust.org/visit/
• Bicycling with Butterflies by Sara Dykman
  

Thanks to Maria Costantini and Kate La Croix, Westwood residents, for sharing their comments and concerns with Westwood Minute.

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