Butterflies are not only fun to watch but they serve a critical purpose as well. Butterflies and other pollinators including bees, moths, birds, and bats pollinate over 75% of the world’s flowering plants. Domestic honey bees alone pollinate approximately $19 billion worth of crops in the U.S. each year. We depend on what these pollinators do to help plants reproduce which helps strengthen ecosystems and maintain life-sustaining biological diversity in nature.

Habitat loss is one of the main contributors to the decline in pollinator numbers. Much of the lost habitat has been converted for agriculture, resource extraction, and urban development. Pollinators are negatively affected when large areas of habitat are broken up into isolated patches by such development. These habitat fragments do not provide enough of the food, shelter, and safety that these species need to survive.

But there is a way to help reverse the trend! You can create your own backyard pollinator habitat! Constructing your own pollinator garden provides food as well as a place for these critical creatures to live. With our pollinators in a serious decline, it is more important than ever for people to take part in their conservation. One of the most rewarding ways to do this is by creating a butterfly habitat. Pollinators need all the help they can get and your garden will make a difference!

Are you ready to make a difference and help out our pollinators? If the answer is yes, then check out our sections on Creating A Butterfly Garden, Native Plants, and Host and Nectar Plants to help you get started on an amazing and rewarding journey!