A proud gardener shared the fruits of their labor on Reddit with some eye-catching snaps of the pollinators now calling their yard home.
The pictures, posted on r/NativePlantGardening, are accompanied by the caption, "So far I have found 4 beautiful chrysalis! There's 2 on my house and 2 in the garden."
The pictures illustrate the life cycle of a monarch butterfly. Its vibrant coloring acts as a deterrent for predators. The National Park Service likens the markings to a "skull and crossbones" warning for any creatures that might fancy it for lunch. Its diet of toxic milkweed leaves means that any animal that does eat it will soon regret it.
The monarch butterfly is a crucial pollinator that relies on the nectar of milkweed plants to survive. Unfortunately, this key plant is often eradicated as a noxious weed, threatening the butterfly's habitat. It's not just the monarch butterfly; the common milkweed sustains an estimated 450 species of insect, per the U.S. Forest Service. With several regional variations, it's difficult to establish them in a garden.
Gardening with native plants provides a welcoming habitat for pollinators, thereby strengthening the local ecosystem and allowing them to help protect our food supply. Better yet, because the plants have evolved over thousands of years with other fauna, it doesn't take much effort for them to thrive. Rewilding a yard saves time and money in the long run, as native plants require minimal maintenance, pesticides, and water. There are numerous practical and straightforward ways to upgrade your yard.
The thread's comments shared the original poster's excitement.
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"The first picture looks like a jewel," one said, an apt description for a monarch butterfly.
"This is so amazing! Good work!!!" another supporter added.
One comment expressed the sense of wonder that comes from seeing a native garden flourish.
"It's crazy, the places you find chrysalis… good luck. Such a cool process."
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