A moment in one homeowner's backyard is a reminder of how powerful small changes to our outdoor spaces can be. Users were stunned by the sight and wanted to know how it happened in an ordinary urban yard.
The photo, posted to Reddit's r/GardenWild community, shows dozens of monarch butterflies clustered together on a single tree branch. The homeowner wrote: "A roost of monarchs in the northern white cedar (thuja occidentalis) in my urban yard hunkering down for a storm."
The image quickly gained reactions for its beauty and timing, as endangered monarch populations across North America continue to face mounting threats.
Monarch butterflies are known to cluster together during migration or before severe weather, using trees as temporary shelter. Seeing a roost like this in an urban neighborhood is rare — and often a sign that the surrounding environment offers what the insects need to survive.
That's where native plants come in. Native trees and plants provide food, shelter, and rest stops for pollinators like monarchs, whose populations have declined due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate pressures. Even small backyard spaces can make a difference, especially when homeowners upgrade their yards with native species suited to their local gardening zone.
Rewilding your yard doesn't necessarily mean letting it grow uncontrollably.
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It can be as simple as planting native flowers, adding clover or buffalo grass, or using resource-saving techniques like xeriscaping. These options typically require less watering, mowing, and fertilizer than monoculture lawns — saving homeowners time, energy, and money while lowering water bills. Even partial lawn replacements can provide meaningful benefits for wildlife and pollinators.
"An amazing sight to behold! I'm glad they had a hunkering down plant, ahead of the storm," one user wrote.
Another added, "I'm so glad to see so many of them all together!! They're disappearing here, even though I've let native milkweed grow for them. I saw one Monarch last year, and it made my day! Thanks for giving them shelter, food, and the plants they need."
A third summed it up simply, saying, "This is amazing!"
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