July 25, 2016: There is magic happening at Natureworks Organic Garden Center in Northford. Inside the store, over 100 monarch butterfly caterpillars and eggs are being raised, and more are being collected and brought in every day. Their magical life cycle is on display for all to see this summer and fall.

Did you know that only two out of every 100 monarch eggs survives in the wild to become a butterfly? They are eaten by other insects at all stages of their metamorphosis. The monarch butterfly population has plummeted in the past decade due to loss of habitat and the use of poisonous insecticides. Natureworks is doing all that it can to reverse this trend.

All butterflies need two types of plants. The first is the larval plant food. This is the plant that the female butterfly lays its eggs on. The caterpillars can only eat the larval food plant. For monarchs, it's milkweed and other species/varieties of the genus Asclepias. Without the larval food plants, the butterfly cannot reproduce. Milkweed is unfortunately considered a weed and has been systematically eliminated from farm fields and meadows. Natureworks not only has hundreds of milkweed plants growing in their gardens, they also sell organic milkweed seedlings.

Why organic? Monarch caterpillars are extremely sensitive to environmental toxins. While raising the caterpillars, Natureworks employees must handle them in all life stages. Their rearing boxes must be cleaned of frass [excrement] and new milkweed leaves added once or twice a day. Hands must be washed clean of sunscreen and any other substances that may contain chemicals. Caterpillars will die with even the smallest contact with these artificial substances. Even cleaning a rearing cage after petting a dog who is wearing flea/tick repellant will poison the caterpillars.They are so sensitive that even organic sprays can harm them. Raising monarchs demands a commitment to clean, safe gardening practices.

Flowers are the second type of plant that all butterflies require for nectar. That is the easiest part of butterfly gardening, as so many of our summer perennials and flowering shrubs are beloved by monarch butterflies. A few of their favorite native perennials to nectar on are coneflowers, Joe Pye weed, asters, bee balm and goldenrod.

In 2015, Natureworks began their obsession with raising monarchs. In the course of three months, they successfully raised and released 214 monarch butterflies and became a certified Monarch Waystation. They offered many workshops on monarch butterflies and visitors were fascinated by the butterflies in all life stages on display each day at the store. Many lessons were learned about the process, and this year, the Natureworks staff is already off to a great start.

Monarch season in Connecticut can vary. In 2015, eggs and caterpillars were found at Natureworks in early June. This year, it wasn't until July 12 that Diane St. John, the manager of Natureworks, was in her Durham home where a female monarch caught her eye. She watched as it began laying eggs on a flat of common milkweed seedlings on her potting bench. It then proceeded to lay eggs on butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) and other Asclepias varieties in her yard. Between July 12 and July 13, Diane and her 11-year- old son collected 86 eggs and two tiny caterpillars.

Diane St. John brought the eggs to Natureworks and they are now being raised by the staff. Bug boxes are used to raise them. As they change from egg to tiny caterpillar to larger caterpillar, their boxes are cleaned and fresh milkweed leaves and clean, unscented paper towels are placed in the boxes once or twice a day. The caterpillars eventually crawl up to the top of the box, hang upside down, and form a chrysalis. The chrysalis eventually becomes a butterfly. At that point, there is a "release ceremony" and anyone who happens to be visiting the garden center on that day joins the celebration.

The numbers at the store continue to rise as new eggs are collected around the nursery gardens every day. Because so many eggs were collected at the same time, the monarch butterflies in that grouping will all be born at once. They don't know exactly when it will be, but once they're born, the release ceremony will be amazing!

Track the daily rearing of the Natureworks monarchs on Facebook and keep updated on the big release ceremony date this August. If you have questions about monarchs, plants and organic gardening, visit Natureworks in Northford. Join the growing movement to protect the monarch butterfly!

Free Workshops at Natureworks about Monarch Butterflies: Saturday, July 30, 9:30-10:30 a.m. "All about the Monarch Butterfly" --The plight of the monarch butterfly is well known and has received a lot of attention in the media lately. Learn what YOU can do to help the monarch butterfly from Diane St. John, Natureworks resident butterfly expert. Learn about their life cycle, their food sources and more! You will be given the opportunity to take a close look at monarch eggs, caterpillars and chrysalises.

Saturday, August 13,  9:30-10:30 a.m.: "All About the Monarch Butterfly" -- Natureworks is a safe house for all butterflies, especially the beautiful orange Monarch. In 2015 we raised and released over 210 Monarchs in our store. We are raising them again this year. Learn all about how to recognize the eggs and the caterpillars, how to collect them and raise them, how to tag and release them for Monarch watch. Learn about the different types of Asclepias (milkweed and their ornamental relatives) and the flowers that provide important nectar as they grow and get ready to migrate to Mexico. In CT we raise the final generation of Monarchs that make the long journey to Mexico where they overwinter. Our work is critical in assuring that we provide a safe, organic, flower-filled oasis for these precious creatures. When you attend this workshop, you'll get to take a close look at a few monarch eggs and a chrysalis. The plight of the Monarch butterfly is well known, and received a lot of attention in the media lately. Learn what YOU can do to help the monarch and their habitats. Last year over SIXTY people attending this talk. Get here EARLY to get a good seat.