Monarchs, it seems, get all the good press. It’s easy to see why these iconic butterflies can capture the imagination as they have Monica Tressler (p. X). But, while building Monarch “Waystations” seem all the rage, the needs of native pollinators – the insects that do far more to benefit our food supply – go way beyond milkweed.
To quote B.J. Lecrone, an outreach specialist with the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy, “we love our Monarchs, [but] there’s so much more to take care of!”
Just as Monarchs nosh only milkweed, 90 percent of all the other insects have unique, cultivated tastes. Luckily, Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy recently published Planting for Wildlife (http://bit.ly/PlantingForWildlife) with descriptions of all the native plants our gardens and glens need for a balanced ecosystem.
Their “Super 9” pamphlet (http://bit.ly/PollinatorSuper9) serves as a beginner's crib-sheet to choose the nine best plants to perfect your pollinator paradise:
1. For spring, Golden Alexander hosts the Black Swallowtail butterfly and provides nectar for butterflies and native bees. (“Native bees” aren’t “honey bees,” which originally hail from Europe.) Golden Ragwort and Swamp Milkweed round out the spring smorgasbord.
2. For summer, provide Butterfly Weed, Mountain Mint, Carolina Wild Petunia and Orange Coneflower.
3. For fall, Asters and Goldenrod keep the feast going.
4. Plant in groups of three to seven plants, and provide a water source for butterflies to drink.
5. Avoid pesticides, and be aware that all nursery plants, with the exception of those at Watermark Woods, have been treated with pesticides that are toxic to bees.
Audubon at Home
If you still need help, the Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy Audubon at Home program will help homeowners create a healthy wildlife habitat on their own property. For more information and an application, go to: http://bit.ly/AAH-Application.
Native Plant Sale April 4
Attend the Spring Native Plant Sale April 4 (http://bit.ly/LoudounSpringPlants) at Morven Park or Watermark Woods in Hamilton, which has 300-400 varieties of native plants.