Local resident creates pollinator paradise to support monarch butterfly migration

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Every year, countless monarch butterflies take part in an annual migration. They fly across the United States into Southern California and parts of Mexico to escape harsh winter conditions.

It's a family journey that can take multiple generations to complete, making it risky for a threatened species like the monarch. But one Colorado Springs resident is taking it upon himself to help the butterflies as they migrate, providing them with a safe haven on their journey. 

Mr. Ken's Pollinator Paradise, also known as the Monarch Waystation, is filled with close to 650 plants.

"I cater to everything, all the native bees, all the native bumblebees, about 15 different species of butterflies...I had no intentions of building a 650 plant pollinator paradise, so this is uh. Lavenderish purplish butterfly bush, but it just happened."

Even if it wasn't in Ken Blasko's intentions, he is thrilled with his creation.

"I'm glad I did it. After that, you've got your Mexican sunflowers...we've got your zinnias, and then one day I planted some metal blazing stars, which is the top nectar source for the monarch, and they showed up."

The waystation is filled with various plants that provide comfort for monarchs, including the queen.

"Monarchs, they basically migrate in two different places. You got the eastern monarchs that migrate from basically the Rockies, and the Midwest, and the East Coast, and the South. They migrate down to...Mexico about 100 miles...The western monarchs in California, Oregon, and Washington migrate down to San Diego. As far as the fall monarchs, you know, they're here, they show up, but right here in Colorado, you know, we have a problem with not enough nectar sources. Well, they're on the endangered species list now. We gotta get them off."

Ken says only one in 100 makes it to adulthood, with several predators such as the yellow jacket.

The big takeaway is the "severe decline in monarch populations and through waystations... we can get them all back up."

Ken says these stations are important for the monarch because "they gotta fatten up before they go to Mexico."

"Everybody can do something."

Ken tells KRDO13 that monarchs can be found at the following sites, which are the non-profits that are the workhorses behind saving the Monarch:

• Monarch Watch
• Monarch Joint Venture
• Pollinator Partnership
• Xeres Society
• National Wildlife Federation

If you do decide to plant a waystation or pollinator paradise, Ken notes not to use insecticide on your lawns, retaining walls, trees and mulch area.

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