Fergus Falls, Minn., is increasingly known for embracing the monarch butterfly in plantings and art.
1:00 pm, Apr. 4, 2021
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A monarch butterfly drinks nectar from a thistle flower on Friday, July 10, 2020, at the Monsanto Pollinator Habitat along Center Street in West Fargo.
Dave Samson / Forum News Service
FERGUS FALLS, Minn. -- One of the most well-known insects in the Midwest doesn’t mean you any harm.
We’re not talking about the mosquito, which devotes its days and nights to sucking the fun out of the outdoors. We’re talking about the swift-moving monarch butterfly.
This unmistakable insect may quietly pass through your property without leaving a trace, but it gets noticed when numbers start to dwindle as researchers say they have in recent decades. While backyard butterfly and pollinator gardens have become increasingly popular in an effort to boost habitat, some communities are adding extra emphasis to encourage residents to support the pollinators all the way from their summer homes up north, to their winter sanctuaries in Mexico.