Milkweed seed bombs are fun and easy to make and a great way to create Monarch habitat. Seed bombs are also the perfect winter project to get kids interested in gardening and the environment! Milkweed is a very low-maintenance perennial and a must-have in your butterfly garden. These seed bombs can be thrown in abandoned lots, roadsides, bare places in your lawn or garden, school gardens, and the list goes on! They also make wonderful gifts, weddings favors and party favors. To learn how to make them read on!

So, what is a seed bomb?

How do seed bombs work?

STEP 1: Gather Your Ingredients

STEP 2: Mix Compost, Clay and Water together

Step 3: Roll into balls

Step 4: Add Seeds

Use a tooth pick to poke holes in each ball. 15-20 seeds per seed bomb is about right for a 1 inch size ball.

For some of the seeds bombs I also added a mix of wildflowers. To create a complete habitat for Monarchs you need both host and nectar plant-sources!

Save Our Monarchs has special offers on bulk seeds. ​Use promo code 'Seedbomb' for 10% off! ​1/2 oz       1,500 seeds    $25    =  100 bombs 1 oz            3,000 seeds    $50    =  200 bombs 4 oz         12,000 seeds    $75    =  800 bombs 16 oz       48,000 seeds   $135  = 3200 bombs IMPORTANT NOTE: Germination rates will be greatly reduced if not planted correctly! Milkweed seeds can be very slow to germinate and does take some time and patience. For best results and to speed up the germination process, place the seeds in wet paper towels in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for 30 days prior to planting.

Step 5: Reshape into a ball and allow to dry

How to plant your milkweed seed bombs

We all know that monarch larvae eat milkweed plants, but what about the other insects that share a food source with Monarchs?

The truth is, most of these insects serve a purpose within their respective ecosystems. The reason that many of them are black and orange like Monarchs is that they use the same defense mechanism called "aposematism" where their black and orange coloration warns predators of their toxic/bitter taste caused by cardiac glycosides which they acquire from milkweed.

​Learn how to identify these insects and find out if they are harmful or harmless to Monarchs! 

Red Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus)

Small Milkweed Bug (Lygaeus kalmii)

Large Milkweed Bug (​Oncopeltus fasciatus)

Swamp Milkweed Leaf Beetle (​Labidomera clivicollis)

Resources

1. The surface of a Monarch's wing is covered with thousands of tiny, colorful scales. Loss of these scales is what causes Monarchs to lose their color!

Faded Monarch after a long journey

2. The Monarch caterpillar is a voracious eater and they can gain about 2700 times their original weight!

3. Two black spots on the inside surface of their hind wings distinguish male Monarch butterflies from the females.

4. Monarch and Viceroy butterflies utilize Müllerian mimicry in order to mutually co-mimic each other and warn predators of their toxicity. 

MThe main visual difference between the viceroy and monarch butterfly is the black line drawn across the viceroy's hind wings, which monarch butterflies do not have. The Viceroy is also a bit smaller than the Monarch. The caterpillars of Monarchs and Viceroys look very different as well.  This is not merely a coincidence but a means of survival for these butterflies. There is a name for this phenomenon called Müllerian mimicry- “a form of mimicry in which two or more noxious animals develop similar appearances as a shared protective device”.

Viceroy caterpillar

Monarch caterpillar

5. One female Monarch butterfly can lay an average of 300 and 500 eggs in the wild. Captive monarch butterflies average about 700 eggs per female over 2 to 5 weeks of egg laying, with a record of 1179 eggs in captivity! 

6. Monarchs that emerge in the warmer months will become sexually mature within 5 days. However, migrating monarchs will emerge in reproductive diapause (suspension of reproductive development) and will not reproduce until Spring.

7. The Monarch's studded gold chrysalises are created by the coupling of a carotenoid pigment and a hill-like structure that reflects light from the peaks. They get the carotenoids from their diet of milkweed.

8. Monarch butterflies smell and taste with their antennae and legs which are covered with sensory cells called chemoreceptors. These chemoreceptors help Monarchs find milkweed to lay their eggs on. 

9. An overwintering Monarch typically lives 7-8 months compared to other generations that only live 2-6 weeks. 

References

Did you know that Milkweed is one of the most useful and versatile plants in the world? Not only is it a vital plant-food for Monarchs, it is extremely useful for us as a source of food, medicine and fiber.

From it's historical uses in World War II to it's use as a nematicide, Milkweed's many uses may just surprise you!

Historical Uses

Medicinal Uses

Culinary Uses

Current Uses

References

Even though we are in the depths of winter, it is a great time to start planning your butterfly garden!

Reason's to start now:
- If ordering seeds, they may take weeks to arrive 
- Thinking about Summer may just raise your spirits
- Native plants often need a stratification period of 30-60 days
- Starting the seeds indoors will ensure they are ready to go when Spring arrives

Here are a list of common butterflies as well as their host plants, preferred nectar sources and native range.

Remember, pollinators have evolved with their host plants and they will only lay their eggs on these specific plants. They also need nectar-sources once they reach adulthood. Having a combination of both host and nectar plants will guarantee a thriving butterfly garden!

Lastly, please source your seeds from certified organic companies and avoid the use of pesticides which are harmful to butterflies and other pollinators.

(Eastern) Black Swallowtail

Host Plants: Dill, parsley, fennel, carrot Preferred nectar sources: Golden alexanders (Zizia aptera and Z. aurea), Common Milkweed. Joe-Pye Weed, Late-flowering Boneset, Oregano, Privet, Purple Coneflower, Wild Bergamot, Zinnia Native range: ​Most of the eastern U.S., north into Quebec, west into S. Saskatchewan, Colorado and SE. California; south to South America.

Common Buckeye

Host plants: Plantains, gerardias, toadflax, snapdragons, false loosestrifes Preferred nectar sources: Mist Flower, White Clover, Sunflower Native range: Resident in the southern United States and north along the coasts to central California and North Carolina; south to Bermuda, Cuba, Isle of Pines, and southern Mexico. Adults from the south's first brood migrate north in late spring and summer to temporarily colonize most of the United States and parts of southern Canada.

Monarch

Host plants: Milkweed species Preferred nectar sources: Blue Cardinal Flower, Swamp Milkweed, Butterfly Milkweed, Common Milkweed,Heath Aster, Heliotrope, Joe-Pye Weed, Lantana, Late-flowering Boneset, Marigold, Mist Flower, Mustard Greens, New England Aster, New York Ironweed, Showy Coneflower, Smooth Aster, Wingstem, Zinnia Range: ​Southern Canada south through all of the United States, Central America, and most of South America. Also present in Australia, Hawaii, and other Pacific Islands. Conservation status: Overwintering sites in California and Mexico should be protected and conserved.

Mourning Cloak

Host Plants: Willow, aspen, cottonwood, elm Preferred nectar sources: Oak tree sap Native range: ​All of North America south of the tundra to central Mexico; rarely in the Gulf States and peninsular Florida. Also native to temperate Eurasia. Note: Adults live 10-11 months and may be our longest lived butterfly!

Painted Lady

Host plants: Thistle, hollyhock, sunflower Preferred nectar sources: Native thistles; also aster, cosmos, blazing star, ironweed, and joe-pye weed, red clover, buttonbush, privet, and milkweeds. Native range: ​On all continents except Australia and Antarctica. From the deserts of northern Mexico, the Painted Lady migrates and temporarily colonizes the United States and Canada south of the Arctic. Occasionally, population explosions in Mexico will cause massive northward migrations. Note: The Painted Lady makes a 9,000 mile roundtrip migration (almost twice as far as the Monarch)

Red Spotted Purple

Host plants: Wild cherry, oak, poplar, hawthorn, willow Preferred nectar sources: Spiraea, privet, and viburnum Native range: Alaska and subarctic Canada southeast of the Rocky Mountains to central Texas; east to New England and central Florida. Isolated populations in Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas south into Mexico.  ​ Note: The Red-spotted Purple is a mimic of the poisonous Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor).

Regal Fritillary

Host plants: Violets Preferred nectar sources: Milkweeds, thistles, red clover, and mountain mint. Native range: Tall-grass prairie remnants in Montana and North Dakota south to Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma; rare or absent from former range east of the Appalachians. Conservation status: Rapidly vanishing or declining in much of its range. A species of concern for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. All populations should be conserved.

Pearl Crescent

Host plants: Smooth-leaved true asters including Aster pilosus, A. texanus, and A. laevis. Preferred nectar sources: Black-Eyed Susan,  Common Dandelion, Daisy Fleabane,  Garlic Chives, Heath Aster, Late-flowering Boneset, Marigold, Mist Flower, New England Aster, Sedum (Autumn Joy), Showy Coneflower, Small White Aster, Stiff Goldenrod, Coreopsis ​ Native range: ​Northwest Territories south along the eastern edges of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains to central Mexico, east through all the eastern United States.

Tiger Swallowtail

Host plants: Willow, cottonwood, chokecherry Preferred nectar sources: Blue Cardinal Flower, Bloodflower, Garlic Chives, Butterfly Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Daisy Fleabane, Dames Rocket, Dogbane Native area: ​Eastern North America from Ontario south to Gulf coast, west to Colorado plains and central Texas.

Viceroy 

Host plants: Willow, poplar, apple, cottonwood Preferred nectar sources: Aster, goldenrod, joe-pye weed, shepherd's needle, and Canada thistle. Native range: ​Northwest Territories south along the eastern edges of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada mountains to central Mexico, east through all the eastern United States. Conservation status: The Obsolete Viceroy has lost much of its habitat due to development and the exotic aggressive salt cedar. Restore riparian habitats in the Southwest (Moths and Butterflies of North America)

Zebra Swallowtail

Red Admiral

Host plants: Paw paw trees Preferred nectar sources:  Blueberry, blackberry, lilac, redbud, verbena, dogbane, and common milkweed. Native range: Central and South Eastern parts of the United States ​

Host plants: Nettle family including: stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), tall wild nettle (U. gracilis), wood nettle (Laportea canadensis), false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), pellitory (Parietoria pennsylvanica), mamaki (Pipturus albidus), and possibly hops (Humulus). Nectar sources: Dogbane, Lantana, Marigold, Mist Flower, Privet Native range: ​​Guatemala north through Mexico and the United States to northern Canada; Hawaii, some Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Europe, Northern Africa, Asia.

Organic Seed Companies

References

  The Xerces Society recently released a Western Monarch Call to Action plan. 
According to the recent Xerces Society Western Monarch Thanksgiving Count, the Western Monarchs are in trouble and now is the time to take ACTION.

The Western monarch population needs your help and this blog will tell you how. First, I want to mention some of the organizations that are doing important work for the Monarchs.

Art Shapiro, a professor of Evolution and Ecology at University of California- Davis, has been collecting data on the California Monarch populations for 34 years! A link to his site is here. 
The Southwest Monarch Study is also doing research in Arizona and the Southwestern United States to better understand the monarch migration. The Xerces Society recently released a Western Monarch Call to Action plan which I am going to summarize below.

1.) Protect and manage California overwintering sites.

2.) Restore breeding and migratory habitat in California.

3.) Protect monarchs and their habitat from pesticides

4.) Protect, manage, and restore summer breeding and fall migration monarch habitat outside of California.

5.) Answer key research questions about how to best aid western monarch recovery.

Thank you to all of the monarch conservation agencies, citizen scientists, teachers, park workers and monarch lovers for all of the work you do.

Nectaring

Monarch feeding on Salvia mexicana

Basking

Roosting

Puddling

Mating

The Monarchs at their overwintering site in Mexico do mate but they do not reproduce until Spring. This is due to the fact that there is not any milkweed present in the sanctuary.

According to several reports, including the arborists of Cerro Pelon and Chip Taylor, founder of Monarch Watch, this is the year to visit the Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary in Mexico!

When to Visit

There are 4 sanctuaries open to the public. Each of these sanctuaries is a little different in accessibility, difficulty of hike, location, Monarch population, and flora. Why not visit them all?

A Monarch feeding on Salvia mexicana in the sanctuary

Cerro Pelón

The view on the ride up to Cerro Pelon

Arborist Leonel, our guide Anayeli Moreno, arborists Jose Carmen Contreras and Oswaldo Esquive, one of the forest rangers, along with myself and my mother in Cerro Pelon

Sierra Chincua

It's easy to see how Angangueo got it's name Pueblo Magico (Magic Village).

Examples of the clearly marked signs within Sierra Chincua There were a quite a few more people on the mountain here than in Cerro Pelon

The butterflies roosting in the Oyamel Fir trees in Sierra Chincua

El Rosario

Piedra Herrada

Insider tips

Bring an extra jacket because it will always be colder in the sanctuary which is at an altitude of almost 10,000 ft or 3000 m. If riding a horse, you can ask to tie the coat onto your saddle.

Bring a water bottle, as it is important to stay hydrated especially in higher altitudes.

Arrange transportation beforehand and start out early. To maximize your time with the butterflies, it's good to be up on the mountain by noon.

Don't underestimate the hike. The elevation makes it much more difficult that it appears.

Watch your feet! Be careful not to step on a butterfly. It would be a shame to come all that way and accidentally step on a butterfly!

Consider bringing a hat for sun protection.

Help your horse out by leaning slightly forward on the uphill and leaning back on the downhill. On the downhill, press your feet into your stirrups to stabilize your body. 

Our goal is to install over 5,000 Pollinator Gardens across the US and you can help!

We have reached over 4,000 schools in our quest for 5,000 school installations this year.

OPTION 1: Sign up for our Pollinator School Program 

OPTION 2: Sign up for our School Fundraising Program

Questions? Please send us a message at www.facebook.com/saveourmonarchs/ or email us at becki@saveourmonarchs.org 

Did you know that most Milkweed seeds and many other perennial plants need a period of cold stratification in order to germinate? 

Cold stratification is simply exposing the seed to a period of cold treatment. It is a pre-treatment method you can use to break the seed's dormancy and increase it's ability to germinate. This is something that occurs in nature and what we call "Winter".  There are a various different methods to cold stratify seeds. I am going to explain the Outdoor Methods or, as I like to call them, "Mother Nature's Way". In my opinion, these are the easiest methods but they do take patience.  ​ The methods I will be explaining are very old ways of cold stratifying seeds that people have been using for hundreds of years. Although using a refrigerator to cold stratify seeds has become more popular in recent times, this is the way our ancestors have always done it.

The "Fall Planting Method"

The "Winter Planting Method"

Have fun!

Stay tuned...