I am thinking about the synchronicity of events. In this instance, when two Zoom presentations happened to focus on Monarchs and Milkweeds within a couple days of each other, the first at a meeting of the Sacramento Audubon Society (SAS), the second by the Yolo Basin Foundation.
This is not my first run-in with Monarchs. Everyone these days knows they are severely threatened and need a great deal of help to survive. And I have wondered what I could do to help with this, but in a desultory way, with no real commitment or follow-through.
The Zooms changed that and maybe it was just the right time, but suddenly, I found so many reasons to learn about and find ways of supporting Monarchs and Milkweeds. I would like to see both at Bobelaine, the wonderful 430 acre Preserve SAS manages on the Feather River north of Sacramento. If Bobelaine could be listed as one of the Western Monarch Trail sites along with our sister organization, Effie Yeaw Nature Center, this would be an additional way of promoting and educating about these beautiful creatures as well as Bobelaine.
The first step in this process is to ensure there are native pollinator plants at Bobelaine in the spring, summer and fall. Secondly, once this is accomplished and nectar is available for the Monarchs spring and fall, the correct type of milkweeds must be available for egg laying. Currently, there are several stands of Showy Milkweed within the Preserve, but they are neither blooming nor being pollinated and thus are not useful to butterflies, although they are increasing in size by underground rhizomes.
Toward this end, with the help of 5 stalwart volunteers at Bobelaine, a plot about 20’X16” has been cleared, seeded with native plant seeds, and covered with soil and straw for the winter. The Sacramento Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (SacCNPS) rose to the occasion with very little notice and within about 2 days, generously provided seeds for almost 15 native plant species.
Time will tell how well these plants do at Bobelaine and whether butterflies follow. Seeds are planted in an area which will receive almost full sun and will be watered if the rains this winter and spring are not accommodating.
This will be the first in a series of articles regarding the progress of attracting butterflies and other likely endangered insects to the wonderful Bobelaine Preserve on the Feather River.
-Maureen Geiger
You can watch the Sacramento Audubon Society November 2023 Speaker Presentation Monarch Butterflies - A Conservation Opportunity for Native Species to learn more about Monarchs and Milkweeds. Or visit our General Meeting / Monthly Speaker page to watch this and other Sacramento Audubon Society speaker presentations.
Enormous THANKS to the volunteers who helped establish the new Butterfly Garden at Bobelaine. Pictured from left to right they are: Bill Bianco, Fred Turner, John Williams, Larry Bergkamp, and Kelly Walsh.
The new Butterfly Garden at Bobelaine Audubon Sanctuary. We look forward to watching it grow and attract butterflies in the upcoming seasons.