Throughout my internship, I’ve learned a lot about gardening and how to care for the ecosystems that thrive from it. Around the garden, pollinators like bumblebees, wasps, humming bird moths, and particularly, monarch butterflies have popped up to say hello. Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexipus) have been appearing around the garden since June to pollinate the milkweed and other plants like the purple coneflower. In the garden, we have four different types of milkweed planted to help monarchs during migration and to act as a reproduction and feeding ground for them. These milkweeds are Butterfly Weed, Common Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, and White Milkweed.
Milkweeds tend to be the only plant where Monarch Butterflies will lay their eggs and their caterpillars will feed on. Thankfully, the garden is packed with them! Having all four of these milkweed plants along with other wildflowers in the garden, like purple coneflower and bee balm, provides the nectar for food and habitats for the incoming and forming generations.
Migration Routes
Did you know that the Monarch Butterfly is native to the Americas? They migrate around 1,930 – 4,500 kms between Canada, the US, and Mexico! Monarchs typically begin their migration towards the south in late summer or fall, and return to Canada in May or June depending on the location. The generations leaving Canada in the summer or fall are not the same as the ones that return in spring, in fact, they are two completely different generations! The typical lifespan of a monarch butterfly is 2-6 weeks, but a migrating generation can live up to 7 months through fall and winter. In the south of Quebec, monarchs appear from June to September!
Why Monarchs Are Important
Unfortunately over the recent years, the monarch population has declined significantly and they are considered endangered by organizations like WWF and the government of Canada. Monarch Butterflies are pollinators who fertilize plants so they can produce seeds and fruits. Without them, many crops and wildflowers would go extinct. Protecting their environment is crucial to the conservation of biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the wellbeing of the environment.
Threats to Monarch Butterflies and milkweed plants:
- Loss of breeding habitats and sources of nectar due to agricultural intensification.
- Increased insecticide and pesticide use reducing milkweed availability.
- Climate change and extreme weather events.
I’ve really enjoyed my internship at City Herbal and working here has definitely encouraged me to come back after it’s finished for volunteer sessions. Doing work in the garden is very grounding and relaxing for me, I have a lot of fun talking to the other volunteers and people who also intern/work there. I am so ever grateful for the opportunity to have been able to intern at City Herbal and I will return upon the upcoming years to volunteer and help out. A big thank you to Dylan, Kelly, and Alé for having been so welcoming and wonderful!
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Written by ::
Alex Sanchez
Specialization Sociology
2026 CHAP Garden Intern