This morning, my wife and I took part in a terrific experience at the Chalet Nursery in Wilmette. All summer, monarch butterflies have been kept and essentially raised in a specially designed habitat at the Chalet. The Aesclepius, or Milkweed plant is crucial to the life cycle of Monarchs, as their larvae feed on them almost exclusively. Folks at the nursery constructed a screened-in room for the larva complete with Milkweed and other plants Monarchs feed on. The butterflies have recently emerged from their Chrysallis as adults, thirsty for nectar from plants like Butterfly Bush, Purple Coneflowers and Black-eyed Susans.
All of this pampering is part of the nursery's role in an organization called Monarch Watch. The Chalet is a certified waystation for the insects, and today was the day to set them free. As it turns out, Monarchs are on their way south through the Chicago area right now as they make their long migration back to their winter home in the hills of Mexico. To keep track of these butterflies, the nursery placed special labels on the wings of the Monarchs they released today in hopes that someone may find them and report back to Monarch Watch about their location. I'll feature some photos of today's release on the 4pm news, but here's the link to the Monarch Watch website if you're interested in creating a garden which will lure butterflies into your own yard! http://www.monarchwatch.org/
Mike
