The Preservers GeoTour
Nature’s Superheroes, The Preservers!
You can follow their adventure through The Preservers GeoTour and stop at each Geocache location to experience part of their story.
GeoTour Locations
Grand Master Snapper (GCA6W9T)
The Frog (GCA6W9V)
The Green (GCA6W9W)
D.K. The Decomposer (GCA6W9X)
Owl Girl (GCA6W9Z)
Red Hawk (GCA6WA1)
Queen Bee (GCA6WA3)
Miss Sunflower (GCA6WA4)
Monarch (GCA6WA5)
The Preservers - Monarch
Monarchs can grow and shrink at will, fly incredibly fast, and travel long distances.
The Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
Stage 1: Mother Monarchs will search for a common milkweed or wamp milkweed plant to lay their eggs on. They look for locations with plenty of other plants for their babies to eat once they are hatched.
They are in the egg stage for 3-8 days.
Stage 2: Once they hatch into a caterpillar larva they are in this stage for 9-14 days.
Whorled milkweed is a preferred food for monarch caterpillars. Milkweed plants are important because they are the primary food source for developing larvae.
Stage 3: Monarchs will create chrysalises on many kinds of plants and structures.
Growing plants like Hibiscus, Morning Glory, and butterfly bush provide places for these chrysalises to develop.
Monarchs are in the chrysalis for 8-15 days.
Stage 4: Finally the Monarch Butterfly emerges from the chrysalis and can live for 2 weeks up to 9 months.
Monarch butterflies are attracted to bright colors. Planting native flowers, like Joe-Pye weed, will provide excellent food sources and areas to hide for the butterflies.
Butterflies are pollinators.
Monarch butterflies can't survive the winters in Michigan, so they fly south 3,000 miles to Mexico or California around September-November.
TAKE ACTION!
Create a Monarch Waystation right in your own backyard. Here are a few things your waystation should include:
• SPACE! Choose one spot or two in your yard. You will need some space for your habitat.
• SUN! and lots of it!
• FOOD! Milkweed is easy to grow and there are several varieties.
• SHELTER! A way for butterflies to take cover from bad weather or other critters.
• A PLAN! It's a good idea to have a plan that will keep your butterfly habitat healthy. Watering the plants or creating a drinking pool for butterflies are two easy ways to maintain the habitat.