How To Help Monarch Butterflies In August

The majestic monarch butterfly captivates everyone it encounters, with it’s stained glass style markings and bold orange, black and white coloring. But perhaps the most mesmerizing fact about this endangered species is the epic journey they under go each fall, travelling thousands of miles along the US East and West coasts to reach their breeding grounds in Mexico and California.

Known as the monarch butterfly migration, this astonishing feat is only possible if calorie-rich nectar can be found at regular intervals along the route. With many wild reserves diminishing, it’s vital that our yards, however big or small, help to bridge the gap by providing a wide selection of late flowering nectar rich plants. These butterfly-friendly seeds from Botanical Interests would be a wonderful place to start.

Log on to conservation group Monarch Watch website, to find out about their extraordinary tagging program, and explore our expert guide on how you can support Monarch butterflies in your yard.

Add Late-Season Nectar Plants

Purple aster blooms with butterflies in a garden

Monarch butterflies rely on regular nectar fuelling stops to support them along their epic migration to warm, southern climes. This makes growing a selection of nectar-rich plants for pollinators all important, especially those that flower late into fall.

‘More important than finding one supposed “perfect monarch plant” is creating succession of bloom. Think of the garden as an all-season buffet rather than a single spectacular dinner,’ says plant expert Tabar Gifford.

Tabar’s favorite late-season nectar plants include Joe Pye weed, sneezeweed and late blooming sunflowers. You can find these all plants at American Meadows.

‘One of the best things you can do to help Monarchs during their fall migration is to plant native, fall-blooming perennial wildflowers,’ says Tad Yankoski, Senior Entomologist at the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House, Missouri Botanical Garden.

‘While the exact species may vary state-to-state and zone-to-zone, you can’t go wrong with Goldenrod and fall-blooming Asters. These plants tend to bloom later in the season and provide lots of calorie-rich nectar when Monarchs need it most,’ he adds.

Flower shape, is also an important consideration. ‘Monarchs need to find flowers that match their mouths,’ says Jessica Walliser, author of Attracting Beneficial Bugs, available from Amazon. ‘Adult butterflies and moths drink nectar through a straw-like mouthpart called a proboscis, while as immature caterpillars, they chomp leaves or other plant tissue.’

Favoring bright daisy-type flowers – including black-eyed Susan and gaillardia – as their open petals and central cone provide an easy landing pad, monarchs also gravitate to nectar rich plants with short tubular blooms – such as milkweed and blazing star.

Find blazing star bulbs at Walmart.

Plant Essential Milkweed

monarch butterfly on pink swamp milkweed

Monarch butterflies are selective when it comes to laying their eggs, with native milkweed being the sole host plant.

‘A monarch’s life begins when a female lays an egg on the lead of a milkweed plant, usually on the underside, although she can make use of other parts of the plant for this purpose,’ explains butterfly expert and author of Monarch: Saving Our Most Loved Butterfly, available from Amazon, Kylee Baumle.

‘She will only lay one egg per plant. She does this most likely to assure that her offspring will have enough to eat without competition from other monarch caterpillars.’

Find a mixed collection of live milkweed plants at Amazon. Alternatively Walmart have a seed selection of four Milkweed varieties.

Kylee Baumle

Jessica Walliser

Horticulturist Jessica Walliser is a co-founder of the popular gardening website SavvyGardening.com where you’ll find her writing about a wide variety of gardening subjects.

Consider The Importance Of Shallow Water

Monarchs, like many other butterflies are often pictured near shallow water sources, inspiring gardeners to recreate butterfly puddlers in their yards. But are they needed? Experts explain.

‘Butterflies, especially male butterflies, will drink from mineral-rich spots like mud puddles to get salts necessary for mating,’ says Tad. ‘While it can be fun to watch this behavior, it’s not a high priority to offer a puddling location. There are often many natural locations where butterflies will find the resources they need.’

If you still fancy creating a puddling area, then keep it simple. ‘Use a shallow dish or saucer. Fill it with a mixture of sand and small stones, then add enough water to keep the material damp,’ suggests Tabar. ‘Place it somewhere sunny, protected, and close to the plants butterflies are already visiting.’ Alternatively pick up a flower stake puddler such as this from Walmart.

Create A Layered Habitat – And It Doesn’t Have To Be Large

Stone boulders with late summer flowering perennials

Monarch butterflies will visit yards of any shape and size. Even the smallest patch appeals if the plants offer accessible nectar and there’s a place to rest and shelter. Consider this wooden butterfly house from Amazon.

‘The best butterfly gardens aren’t just flower beds. They’re layered habitats. Butterflies are ectothermic, so warm, sunny areas help them become active. Rocks or other surfaces where butterflies can bask can be very useful,’ explains Tabar. ‘Shrubs, ornamental and native grasses, meadow plantings, and taller perennials help create places protected from wind and weather.’

Tiny plantings and small backyards – such as a balcony planter, a strip of meadow grass or a collection of container grown shrubs – all have their wildlife value. ‘A few square feet may feel insignificant, but multiply that by thousands of homes and suddenly we’re rebuilding habitat corridors through neighborhoods and communities,’ Tabar remarks.

Let Plants Mingle And Be Messy

Monarch butterflies are not the greatest fans of pristine gardens. Often the more natural and unkempt plots prove more attractive than those with isolated island beds that are neatly clipped and edged.

‘Don’t mow every square inch simply because that’s what we’ve traditionally done. That mess is often habitat,’ says Tabar.

Tad adds, ‘piles of leaves, clumps of brush or branches, and standing plant stems offer breeding, resting, overwintering, and nesting resources for many native pollinators, including butterflies.’

Keep leaves and other garden debris easily accessible but in check with this Wood Stationary Bin Composter from Lowes.

Avoid Using Pesticides

Pesticides have no place in gardens, especially in gardens for pollinators those hoping to attract beneficial insects.

‘A single bottle of pesticide commonly sold at home garden centers often has over 3+ grams of zeta-cypermethrin active ingredient, meaning it has the theoretical potential to kill over half a billion bees,’ explains Tad.

‘And it can persist where sprayed, with pesticide labels claiming it will kill insects on contact for up to 3 months after application. These pesticides kill indiscriminately and will kill butterflies.’

Prevent and confuse aphids, mosquitos and other damaging pests with companion planting, biological controls and other natural pest control methods.

Try this Mighty Mint Neem Oil and Peppermint Plant Spray from Walmart.

Are Fruit Feeding Stations a Good Idea?

Monarch butterfly feeding on fruit platter

Citrus fruit feeding stations or fruit salads for butterflies often steal the show on Instagram and in public gardens, but many experts have concerns over how useful these raised platters actually are.

‘This is one of those ideas that sounds charming, and you certainly may see butterflies visiting overripe fruit, but for monarchs, I would put my energy into flowers rather than a fruit-feeding station,’ says Tabar.

If you do want to try one at home, give this Songbird Essentials Butterfly Feeder from Walmart a go.

Tabar Gifford

Tabar is a Master Gardener, and dedicated “plant geek”. With a lifelong love for gardening and nature, and a background in environmental studies and sustainable community development, she combines horticultural expertise with a commitment to education. She gardens in zone 4 in Vermont.

Tad Yankoski

Tad is an entomologist at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Butterfly House in St. Louis where he coordinates the Missouri Butterfly Monitoring Network.

Bicycling With Butterflies

Monarch Sanctuary Wildflower Mix

If you want to support these graceful migratory insects further, check out larger garden projects such how to plant a wildflower meadow or read up on the best plants for pollinators.

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