One third of all the plants we eat won’t grow without bugs and birds to pollinate them.  Many local bugs depend on very specific native plants to survive and reproduce. 

For example, the monarch butterfly depends on milkweed for its survival.  But milkweed isn’t pretty, so people don’t plant it; they even tear it out of their gardens. 

This is one of the reasons the monarch population has declined so sharply. In fact, the population of all bugs, butterflies, beetles and birds has declined sharply.  Have you noticed they’re not all over your windshield in the summer as they used to be? What to do?  We need to have plants growing for them to eat and lay their eggs in.

Bugs travel to migrate and find food.  Some travel as little as half a mile so native plants must be available pretty often.  Many of these are longtime favorites: blackeyed susan, echinacea, phlox and oak trees.    Hug a bug – virtually – by creating a pollinator pathway in part of your garden.  Join the national pollinator pathway movement. 

To find out more, go to: wallkillvalleylt.org/pp/