Villages of Five Points welcomes monarch butterflies

Volunteers from the Villages of Five Points have established a butterfly nursery with host plants on which butterflies such as swallowtails and monarchs can lay their eggs.

The nursery is part of a larger initiative to create areas within the community to attract and support butterflies, especially the endangered monarchs, with pollinator and host plants.

Nancy Sakaduski, Laura Marriott, Hilda Adams, Jan Semmel, Peggy O’Malley and Darlene Zlock dedicated the butterfly nursery July 12.

The butterfly nursery contains dill, which supports swallowtail butterflies, and milkweed, which is the only plant monarch butterflies eat. Without it, monarchs have no place to lay their eggs so their young will have food.

According to Monarch Watch, development and overuse of herbicides along roadsides and elsewhere is turning diverse areas that support monarchs, pollinators and other wildlife into grass-filled landscapes that support few species. Monarch Watch has initiated a nationwide landscape restoration program called Bring Back the Monarchs. Among its goals is encouraging planting of nectar-producing native flowers that support adult monarchs and other pollinators.

In addition to a sign that indicates the purpose of the garden, volunteers have placed a covered information box containing educational coloring sheets for children. Materials for the garden were purchased with cash and in-kind donations from residents, and the volunteers have shared responsibilities for watering and monitoring the nursery and areas where they’ve planted milkweed near some of the community ponds. They plan to expand these areas over time to beautify the community and help bring back the monarchs.