Monarch butterflies on their annual migration from Canada to Mexico will be making their way through Texas in the fall, and Texas conservationists and entomologists are concerned for their survival as they travel through the state’s drought-ravaged landscape. Residents are being advised to help provide nectar for the beneficial insects by nurturing any fall-blooming native plants already planted in their yards and by planting fast-growing, blooming annuals from the sunflower family.
Richardson has traditionally been in the monarch’s migration path and has been a Mayors’ Monarch Pledge city since 2015 (a program of the National Wildlife Federation), recognizing that the butterfly is an important part of our ecosystem. The Parks Department has established dedicated butterfly gardens in four parks—Berkner, Prairie Creek, Durham and Yale—and includes butterfly-friendly “pollinator plants” (that attract and feed butterflies) in park and landscape projects wherever feasible, such as at Collins Park and CityLine Park.
More information: www.cor.net/richardsonplants
