Monarchs in Your Backyard: Why It Matters

As summer heats up here in central Ohio, there’s one beautiful seasonal surprise to keep an eye out for: monarch butterflies beginning their migration through our area. Sightings typically ramp up from late July through September, as the final “Methuselah generation” prepares for their epic journey to Mexico.

Monarchs are more than a pretty sight—they’re incredible migratory pollinators playing a critical role in our ecosystem. However, their population has dropped substantially (between 22% to 72% in recent decades), making every backyard habitat matter even more important. Ohio is a vital corridor in the eastern migration route, and butterflies stopping to rest and feed here rely on our support for creating safe waystation habitats filled with nectar and host plants like milkweed.

How You Can Help: DIY Monarch-Friendly Garden Tips

Here’s how to take part in monarch conservation, even with limited space:

🌿Plant native milkweed species like common, swamp, or butterfly weed—these are the only plants monarch caterpillars will eat.

🌸Add fall-blooming nectar plants such as goldenrod, New England aster, and butterfly bush to fuel migrating butterflies.

🦋Make simple nectar feeders—boil ¼ cup of sugar in 2 cups of water, let cool, and pour onto a brightly colored sponge in a shallow dish. Place near flowers to attract butterflies by scent.

💧Include a puddling station, a damp sandy area or shallow tray with wet sand and compost, to provide essential nutrients like sodium to monarchs.

By planting a few milkweeds, adding nectar blooms, and making a tiny butterfly feeder, you're not just dressing up your garden—you’re creating a critically important fueling station for monarchs on their migration.

Let’s turn our yards and gardens into flying waystations for hope this summer!