Spring Garden Show and the Monarch Butterfly

Linda Auld is New Orleans' "Bug Lady" and owner of Barber Laboratories. This year, Linda is particularly excited about the 2014 Spring Garden Show in City Park. Linda will have a garden show booth that will feature the Monarch butterfly and offer information about attracting these beautiful, beneficial creatures. In this podcast, Linda points out that the Monarch, which is our country's national butterfly, is in real trouble. She explains that the primary culprit is loss of habitat, particularly in Mexico. In addition, the United States has experienced long stretches of severe cold weather; as a result, milkweed, the Monarch's only food source, is in short supply. To help the Monarchs and ensure that these distinctive butterflies continue to thrive to add grace and beauty to our gardens and our lives, Linda is selling packets of milkweed seeds for everyone to plant. Milkweeds are very easy to grow and Linda hopes that even those who have never been particularly interested in bugs and butterflies will stop by her booth at the Spring Garden Show on April 5-6 at City Park's Botanical Garden. Visitors to the booth will be surprised at what they learn about our butterflies, including how these delicate creatures are tagged.

Listen to the podcast here.