Raising Multitudes of Milkweed and Monarchs: The Hobby That Gives Back

Monarch butterflies, those orange and black beauties - is there no happier sight in the summer? Learn how to attract, grow and protect them with Monarch Watch's Conservation Specialist, Alice Ely.

Recently, these butterflies of yard and field have suffered habitat loss so great that their numbers in recent years have dwindled to 10% of their peak population.  They are called the ‘poster child’ for pollinator habitat protection, owing to their beauty and the remarkable feat of their annual migration to Mexico and back. Protecting Monarchs leads us to a wider awareness of the fragility of insect populations, the steady assault on their numbers through the indiscriminate use of pesticides, and the vital role that diverse native species play in keeping our planet healthy.  In this talk, you’ll learn about how to attract a bevy of egg-laying Monarchs to your garden, how to raise the eggs into hungry Monarch caterpillars, and finally, healthy adult Monarchs, as well as some tips on how to grow a variety of different milkweed species to help them thrive.

About the Presenter

Alice Ely is a Monarch Watch Conservation Specialist for the Northeast, UConn Advanced Master Gardener 2017 & UConn Master Composter 2018, and also holds a New York Botanical Garden gardening certificate.  She has created multiple public and private Monarch Waystations in Fairfield County in her role as a garden coach (www.gardenwithalice.com). She raises Monarchs as a hobby, and as an outreach tool. Alice believes that the inspiring example of these remarkable creatures can help teach the importance of species diversity, the dangers of widespread pesticide/herbicide use, and how saving the planet starts in our own backyards.