Monarch-Friendly Gardens and Raising Monarchs with Alice Ely

Описание: On Thursday, July 22, 2021, Master Gardener Alice Ely stopped by Darien Library to show us how to raise multitudes of milkweed and Monarchs – the hobby that gives back!

Monarchs, the once plentiful beauties of yard and field, have suffered habitat loss so great that their numbers have dwindled to 10% of their peak population. They are called the ‘poster child’ for pollinator habitat protection, owing to their beauty and the remarkable feat of their annual migration to Mexico and back.

Protecting Monarchs leads us to a wider awareness of the fragility of insect populations, the steady assault on their numbers through the indiscriminate use of pesticides, and the vital role that diverse native species play in keeping our planet healthy. In this talk, you’ll learn how to attract a bevy of egg-laying Monarchs to your garden, how to raise the odds by raising the eggs into hungry Monarch caterpillars, and finally, healthy adult Monarchs, as well as some tips on how to grow a variety of different milkweed species to help them thrive.

About the Presenter
Alice Ely, Mother of Monarchs, UConn Advanced Master Gardener, Master Composter, garden coach, and Pollinator Pathway member, is a creator of multiple public and private Monarch Waystations in Fairfield County.

She raises Monarchs for fun and outreach. She finds the sense of wonder that these remarkable creatures inspire, provides a gateway to teach the importance of species diversity, the dangers of widespread pesticide/herbicide use, and how saving the planet starts in our own backyards.

This video was filmed by Darien Government Access Television TV79.