PL
B u of IGH
t
They Help Us Every Day.
t th T
er e
fl
ie
s
Did you know butterflies help us
every day? They are pollinators,
spreading pollen and giving
life to flowers by helping them
reproduce. Many fruits and
vegetables like apples, grapes, and
even tomatoes come from flowers
that are pollinated by butterflies.
Butterflies are also an indicator
species, meaning that their
presence may indicate the quality
of the air around us, telling us if it
is clean or not!
A Vanishing Species
Sadly, monarch butterflies are
vanishing. Recent studies
show that since 1990, the
population has decreased
by almost one billion due
to habitat loss, harmful
pesticides (a chemical
used to destroy insects)
and climate change.
How Can You Help?
Butterflies are powerful — but they need help.
Habitat loss and pesticide use are reducing
their populations. What can you do to help?
• Encourage your parents not to overuse
pesticides in your yard or garden.
• Plant Native Gardens. Ask your local
nursery for help choosing the right plants
for your area.
• Don’t mow as much. Allow lawn
flowers to bloom and provide food for
pollinators, especially in springtime.
Delaying mowing by a week can help.
• Plant your own butterfly garden
to provide butterfly habitat and enjoy
watching varieties of native butterflies like
monarchs and swallowtails.
Planting a Butterfly Garden
Butterflies need both nectar and host plants to
survive. Nectar plants provide nourishing food,
while host plants provide a place for females
to lay their eggs as well as food for the young
caterpillar to eat.
The only host plant for monarch butterflies is
milkweed. Ask your local nursery about native
milkweed plants you can add to your yard.
Nectar plants that are great for butterflies
include asters, red clover, zinnias, cosmos,
lantana, pentas and daisies.
You can also try getting certified as a Monarch
Waystation — an important pit stop to help
butterflies on their migration. Did you know
the Zoo is an official Monarch Waystation?
Learn more at LouisvilleZoo.org/butterflies
As the weather begins to cool, these faithful butterflies begin their remarkable migration,
leaving their homes throughout Canada and the United States to begin the long journey south
to Mexico. Some butterflies may travel up to 2000 miles! They all return to the same forest and
millions of butterflies fill the mountains of Mexico each year.