Weather Policy: For the safety and enjoyment of our visitors, all programs are subject to cancellation due to inclement weather, including rain, wind, and severe weather warnings and advisories.
Seminar: Building a Better Monarch Butterfly Garden
June 3, 2025 @ 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Presenter: Dr. Dan Potter, Professor Emeritus, Department of Entomology, University of Kentucky
In 2022, the International Union for Conservation of Nature added the monarch butterfly to its Red List of Threatened Species, classifying it as Endangered. This talk will help attendees to better understand why monarchs are in peril, why their conservation matters, and how the gardening public can help to restore this beloved native butterfly to sustainable status. It covers the monarch’s fascinating natural history, including its spectacular long-distance migrations, it’s special relationship with milkweed, as well as best native milkweeds for attracting and sustaining monarchs and native bees in gardens. Recent research showing that garden design and placement matters will be discussed, as well as how to prevent a garden from becoming an “ecological trap” for monarchs due to predation by invasive wasps or planting the wrong type of milkweed.
This program is part of the Bluegrass Biodiversity Seminar Series, which offers free evening presentations on Kentucky’s natural history and biodiversity in the historic Trail’s End Lodge.
