Click the link below and register your growing space as a Registered Monarch Waystation.
Join the over 45,000 registered habitats and start making a difference in the lives of Monarch Butterflies and many other pollinators/insects.
Anyone can register (fee is required), but the following criteria must be met:
Size. A suitable Monarch Waystation habitat can be easily integrated into an existing garden. There is no minimum area requirement in order to certify your habitat; however, a truly effective Monarch Waystation will be at least 100 square feet.
Exposure. Butterflies and butterfly plants need lots of sun; therefore, Monarch Waystations need to be located in an area that receives at least six hours of sun a day.
Shelter. To assure that the maximum number of monarchs survive in your habitat, the plants should be relatively close together.
Milkweed Plants. To maximize the use of your habitat by monarchs, we recommend that you have at least 10 milkweed plants, made up of two or more species; however, a large number of plants (more than 10) of one species is sufficient.
Nectar Plants. A Monarch Waystation should contain several annual, biennial, or perennial plants that provide nectar for butterflies.
Management. You should have a plan to sustain a Monarch Waystation. Specific actions you take will depend on the features of your habitat; however, some general examples include mulching, thinning, fertilizing, amending the soil, removing dead stalks, watering, eliminating insecticide use, removing invasive plant species, and incorporating additional features.
(Source: Monarch Waystation Program, 2023, https://monarchwatch.org/waystations/)