With several new pollinator plantings, a BioHaven floating in a retention pond at the Frontier Sports Complex, and over 12 acres of planned seeding during the winter of 2022-23, Naperville Parks are prepared for feeding and sheltering the next generation of butterflies and bees.

The BioHaven Floating Island assists with water filtration and also provides habitat. Photo courtesy of the Naperville Park District

This year’s pollinator projects ranged from an Eagle Scout project at Hobson West Pond where volunteers planted 700 plants in three gardens, to a one acre conversion of turf to meadow in Brighton Ridge. The spring and summer projects combined with the planned winter seeding, add up to 19 more acres of nectar and pollen resources, butterfly larval host plants and safe nesting sites for the many insects that maintain the reproductive cycle of plants.

Milkweed is essential for monarch caterpillars and provides nectar for many insects. Photo: courtesy of the Naperville Park District
Volunteers planting gardens at Hobson West Ponds. Photos courtesy of the Naperville Park District

Summer visitors to the parks with pollinator plantings will have more opportunities for spotting and photographing butterflies. It will be possible to catch sight of a hummingbird or snowberry clearwing hawk moth or to simply stroll and enjoy the added liveliness of flowers being visited by bees.

Photo: Hummingbird hawk moth, DuPage Monarch Project
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