Did you know that Seaside Park, New Jersey is part of the annual East Coast Monarch Butterfly migration? Well it is! On a recent visit to Seaside Park we learned about it. Monarch butterflies are my wife's favorite and we enjoy learning about them. Here's some information we learned when visiting the Butterfly Garden.
Each fall millions of Monarch butterflies migrate up to 3,000 miles along the East Coast. They travel from the Unites State and Canada to overwintering areas in Mexico. In the spring, they mate and then begin the journey north to complete this cycle. The Monarchs traveling north are the great-great-grandchildren of the butterflies that left the previous spring. The Monarch migration is one of the world's great natural wonders.
Many areas of Monarch habitats have been lost in recent years causing the population to decline. Planting milkweed in backyards and on public lands provides habitat for new generations. Along the migration route you'll find Butterfly Waystations like the one that we visited in Seaside Park.
What are Waystations? These specialized gardens provide the habitat needed for Monarch butterflies on their long migration. They included native plants like: violets, milkweed, yarrow, coneflower, aster, etc. These native plants were selected for nectar (food) and host plants (to lay eggs) for the Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies.
If you're going to be visiting Seaside Park in New Jersey...we highly recommend that you stop by the Butterfly Garden to learn more about the butterflies and what you can do to help preserve their habitat.
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