CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — It’s almost spring, which means monarch butterflies are returning to West Virginia after their annual migration south. If you want to see more near your home, there are a few things you can do to promote monarchs and other butterflies stopping by.
Plant Certain Types of Flower/Plants
According to the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), the type and color of your flowers as well as where they are planted will affect how many butterflies you see. Butterflies are most likely to stop at flowers with continuous blooms that are flat-topped or clustered and have short flower tubes. They also prefer the colors red, yellow, orange, pink and purple, the NWF said.
Monarch butterfly caterpillars need specifically milkweed to grow and live, so if you’re looking to help out the candidate species, you can plant native milkweed.
Whatever you decide to put in your butterfly garden, make sure it is a native plant to the area. The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources recommends having at least 70% native plants in your garden. If you aren’t sure what to plant to main only native species, the NWF makes it easy. You can select to purchase flowers by state to make sure you are not introducing invasive species.
In West Virginia, you can buy bundles made specifically for monarchs and butterflies as well as hummingbirds, songbirds and fireflies. Click here to see the native bundles for West Virginia—most bundles cost about $10 per plant—and click here to search plant bundles for other states. The plants are delivered as plants, not seeds, and are only delivered when they can be planted, which in West Virginia, is from April to October.
Get Lots of Sun
Nectar plants should receive full sun from mid-morning to mid-afternoon if possible because butterflies only feed in the sun. If you have the right plants but aren’t seeing many butterflies, you may need to move them to an area with more sun.
Don’t Use Insecticides
We get it; some bugs suck. But using pesticides and insecticides also makes your garden hostile to butterflies. Even if you use insecticides on a vegetable garden or anywhere on your property, it could be affecting or even killing your butterflies, according to NWF.
If you need to use an insecticide, make sure to get an insecticidal soap or something that won’t harm pollinators, and only apply them after dusk when butterflies aren’t active.
Other Ways to Make Your Garden Attractive
You can also add a place for butterflies to rest and a place for them to drink in your garden. Flat stones in the sun are the perfect place for them to recharge and warm their wings for flight. A place for “puddling” or drinking is also attractive to butterflies. NWF recommends putting course sand in a pan and inserting it into the soil of your garden; just make sure the sand stays damp.
