There is something about butterflies that captivates us, ignites our imagination, and excites us. Children and adults alike are fascinated with these colorful creatures.
But our human activities are causing harm to these fascinating creatures. Their habitat, their food, and the places for them to reproduce are all being destroyed and poisoned as we speak (or as you read this).
The butterflies are desperate, and so are many other pollinators! Other pollinators like: honey bees, native mason bees (solitary bees), wasps, moths, humming birds, bats – just to name a few. They surround us and work for us. Did you know that most of our food comes from plants that are pollinated by theses amazing creatures?
Don’t fret just yet – you can help them all, today!
The first and the greatest contribution you can make is to stop poisoning the pollinators. In other words: Stop spraying pesticides in your garden and lawn.
By ditching pesticides, you will save a lot of money and time. You will also not be handling poisonous chemicals yourself – a win-win for everyone! (Well, maybe except for the chemical companies.)
You can also pick your favorite pollinator and learn about them. It is so difficult for me to have a favorite pollinator … who am I kidding?! Monarch butterflies are glorious!
Then, tell your friends about the situation and inform them how they too can get involved and help save the pollinators.
Another homegrown solution? Grow a pollinator garden. (Check out the infographic below for a list of suggested plants and other garden-design ideas.)
By growing more pollinator friendly plants in your existing vegetable garden, you can invite the likes of monarch butterflies and honey bees to your backyard habitat. Even if you don’t have a place for a garden, you can still help! Start by growing a pot with a couple pollinator friendly plants in it. See the infographic for suggestions.
These ideas are small but straightforward; you can start some (or all!) of these today.
Together we can keep the pollinators flying and secure the future, in which we all share this beautiful planet. We can enjoy colorful butterflies not only in our dreams but also in our yards, school gardens, orchards, and communities.
Join me in helping these fascinating creatures that excite us, inspire us and sustain us. We can do it - their lives depend on it as might ours.
Additional resources can be accessed here, here, and here.
Blog Disclaimer: The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily represent all the views of CFI.
