SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — I designed my garden to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, specifically Monarchs.
A family in Eastlake is doing the same.
"I went out and bought Milkweed and they just showed up. They have radar for milkweed," said Airam Marlett, who was inspired by an Instagram post and has had success from day one. "My first year, I had 30 Monarchs, and it's been wonderful to watch."
Marlett makes sure the caterpillars will survive.
"I protect them. I put them in a mesh enclosure. It brings a lot of joy," said Marlett.
Which is something we need right now, and Marlett loves to share.
"Everybody would tell me how do you raise butterflies. It's something I really enjoy doing my girl scout troop."
So the troop bought milkweed and watched the life cycle.
"It's really wonderful for children. It's a good learning experience," she said.
If you are thinking of raising Monarchs, here's some steps to follow.
"Step one, go get some Milkweed from your local nursery. Second step, put your Milkweed anywhere in your garden. The Butterflies will find it and you'll have eggs and then your raising Monarch Butterflies," said Marlett.
The total time from egg to butterfly is about 30 days so be sure to have food for the Monarchs.
"I put out a lot of lavender, sunflowers and cosmos. I have a lot of pollinator friendly plants," said Marlett. "So you see this entire journey, I'm so happy they trust me. It's a beautiful journey to watch."
Once your garden is set up just sit back and enjoy!