Westfield family develops a monarch waystation to help promote monarch butterflies
By Anna Skinner
Summer is a time for lots of fun activities, like catching butterflies.
Yet most citizens don’t realize the lack of monarch butterflies joining the ranks of other species.
One Westfield family took matters into their own hands, stemmed by the idea of Amelia Stone, 10, Daniel Holbrook, 8, Haylee Holbrook, 7, and Jacob Marshall, 2.
“The monarchs are unique to America, they’re an American butterfly, and their populations have dwindled dramatically the last few years,” said Rose Green, grandmother of the children.
“Naturally growing places where they have to stop, like milkweed, are being sprayed by pesticides of farmers or destroyed by development.”
And since the beautiful orange and black harmless butterfly is an insect, pesticides take care of them, too.
But pesticides aren’t the only things hurting the butterflies. Massive developments taking place in cities are clearing out the butterflies’ natural habitat: milkweed plants.
Green said that the butterflies fly 1,500 miles south to Mexico every autumn. However, each migration is made up of approximately three generations that make the journey there and back.
“The kids are really interested in nature and they learn a lot at school about nature and recycling,” Green said.
After the kids learned about the monarchs, they wanted to start the Flutterby Butterfly Garden. Beginning last fall, the family began planting the waystation and constructing the habitat at Green’s home, directly across the street from Grand Park Sports Complex on 186th Street.
Ten monarch butterflies were shipped to Green and her family from Michigan. The monarchs were shipped cooled and were misted with water and fed Gatorade, a nectar substitute, while they waited for their release.
The kids and Green built a monarch waystation, which includes stinging nettle and sticks for shelter, water, nectar plants for food and, of course, milkweed. They enclosed the space with a fence and released the butterflies.
Soon, the monarchs will start laying eggs on the milkweed, which is the only spot where the butterflies will lay their eggs. Green said they are going to buy some caterpillars to release in the garden as well.
Mayor Andy Cook, his wife and grandkids made the trip out to the waystation to see the ceremonial release of the monarchs. Green told him she would send a starter kit for a monarch waystation to him for his grandkids.
On July 6, the date of the release and ribbon cutting, the family’s waystation joined a registry of more than 10,000 waystation sites across the nation.
“This is beyond my wildest dreams,” Green said. “The kids got a certificate for appreciation, and they have a number for this waystation.”
Some people who create waystations even mark their monarchs to track them and their journey.
All who attended the release received a pamphlet on monarchs, a bumper sticker and an experience of observing the butterflies in their natural habitat.
Upon their release, the butterflies fluttered through the air, making their way directly to the milkweed and other flowers in the waystation.
An educational board that depicts the life of a caterpillar and monarch was also installed into the waystation.
“There’re lots of monarchs who can fly anywhere they want,” Haylee said.
In the fall, the monarchs start their trip back to Mexico.
“They know exactly where to go,” Green said. “They’re not like some other butterflies, they have to migrate.”
Green said that she and her family hope to encourage others to develop waystations or even just plant common milkweed to support monarchs. The family is also considering establishing their waystation as a place for field trips for schools.
“(The kids) can enjoy the progress with their city and also enjoy and appreciate what they can do with nature with these beautiful monarchs,” Green said. “They’ve been out here getting dirt under their fingernails working on this project.”
By the numbers
- Monarchs can travel from 50 to 100 miles a day
- They must migrate 1500 miles south to Mexico in the fall
- Monarchs cannot fly if body temperature is less than 86 degree Fahrenheit
- Their wings flap between 300-700 times per minute, slower than other butterflies
- Monarchs can lay about 250 eggs a day
- Monarchs live 2-6 weeks
