Garden research is highlighting the importance of native plants for conservation of ecosystems and many types of animals, including pollinators. However, there is a lack of native plant material available for building habitat–from small backyard projects to large...
Milkweeds support more than just monarchs. They offer value to a variety of landscapes by providing nectar for pollinators and attracting predatory insects that are excellent for pesticide-free pest control. Great Milkweed Grow Out is currently working on a project...
Milkweeds (Asclepias spp.) are the sole hostplant for monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus). Monarch caterpillars must consume milkweeds to survive. As monarchs are facing drastic declines, largely tied to loss of plant habitat, the Garden’s pollinator...
As monarch butterfly populations experience declines of up to 99% across the United States, and essential host milkweed habitat is lost to urbanization, critical conservation choices need to be made about these species and their interactions. At the DPEL, staff...
Lack of rain and hotter weather lead to record low butterfly season The monarch butterfly population is in decline. Due to their magnificent migration, almost all US monarchs are in a few locations during the winter, allowing biologists to count and estimate the...
