Monarch butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains are predicted to be fully extinct by the year 2080. One gardener, eager to attract these endangered critters, was thrilled to see their efforts pay off after spotting a monarch caterpillar enjoying milkweed in their native garden.

"Three years into my project, and finally got one," the gardener posted to the subreddit r/NativePlantGardening. 

Attracting endangered pollinators such as bees and monarchs is a glorious benefit of rewilding your yard. There are unbeatable advantages for homeowners as well. Estimates suggest that you can save hundreds of dollars per year on water bills in addition to the substantial savings that come from not having to buy fertilizers. Further, native plants, once accustomed to your yard, are resilient, meaning there's less of a need for you to frequently tend to your garden. The pollinators you attract will also help boost the resilience of your yard, so you can sit back and relax while enjoying a beautiful garden. 

Commenters, recognizing the drastic decline of these vital pollinators, told the original poster how rare it is to see them, even after growing native plants that attract them.

"I plant a lot of milkweeds and other natives, and while I get a lot of cool pollinators, I almost never see Monarchs," wrote one native plant gardener in the comments. "I occasionally see one, maybe two, per season. Usually in early spring or late summer/early fall."

The OP's photo is a hopeful emblem of what can happen when you maintain a native garden. Even endangered pollinators, on which the ecosystem relies, can see their populations boosted when the environment is healthy and native. 

Monarchs rely on native plants such as milkweed. 

"The relationship between the monarch butterfly and its host plant, native milkweed, is well known," American Meadows wrote. "Adult monarchs sip nectar from milkweed, and lay their eggs among its leaves. Monarch caterpillars depend upon milkweed plants for survival. One monarch caterpillar can eat over 20 milkweed leaves in its lifetime!"

The comments section proved that others have been experiencing the same benefits from their native gardens.

"Woooo! We found our first monarch caterpillars yesterday (also in year 3!)!!!" wrote one. "I have no idea how they got so fat and juicy without us noticing but happy to finally see them enjoying the milkweed!"

Another wrote: "I want a yard full of it. How exciting!"

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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