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Make a Monarch Butterfly Garden

The Monarch Butterfly is a species that doesn’t stay in Canada for the winter — it flies as far as Mexico! That adds up to a migration of over 4,000 kilometres round trip (there and back). Monarchs are also listed as an endangered species on Canada’s species at risk registry, so we thought spring would be the perfect time for you to work on a project to help them! Here’s how to grow a garden they will love.

How COVID-19 shutdowns have affected the animal kingdom

'Lull' in human movement due to COVID-19 is having unpredictable effect on wildlife

Where the Moose and the Elk Used to Roam

ildlife populations in Dufferin and Caledon have come and gone over the past few centuries, most dramatically since European settlement. Some species have vanished from the landscape. Others have arrived. Now things are changing again.

Coronavirus: Will Canadians see more wildlife in their backyards as people self-isolate?

James Pagé, at-risk species and biodiversity specialist with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, said that while he’s not sure people will see a spike in animals in urban centres, people may have an opportunity to see wildlife more because they’re not being scared off as much.

COVID-19 Update

Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) remains open online and on the phone to help with questions you have or services you need from CWF. That said, to help reduce the spread of nCovid-19 our staff is now working remotely to keep our services available and vital conservation work being delivered.

Bird Feeding handout

Bird Feeding handout

Wild About Butterflies Poster

The brilliance of our many butterflies adds beauty to any garden. The vibrant orange and black of monarchs or the dazzling tiger stripes of swallowtails add contrast among the blooms. Other species may lack some of this glamour but are welcome visitors none the less for the gentle cheer they bring. Canada’s butterfly species number almost 300, so their diversity is quite extensive. Moths are very closely related to butterflies. Both belong to the order Lepidoptera, yet their reputations are completely different. Butterflies are associated with colour, beauty and sunshine, while moths are connected with night, the destruction of trees and clothes, and getting caught in people’s hair. That’s hardly a fair comparison between creatures that are often difficult to tell apart. Quite a few butterflies are cloaked in drab browns or greys, while a lot of moths are vibrantly coloured. Some moths are pests, but most are harmless. Most people are aware that caterpillars are one of the early life stages of butterflies. Yet, despite the lovely charm of their later winged form, they are often overlooked or even despised. However, if you hope to invite butterflies to your garden, it is important to consider the needs of their larvae. Once you start to pay attention to these crawling creatures, you‘ll discover that caterpillars are fascinating in their own right.Manicured lawns, pesticides and the replacement of native vegetation with exotic plants all limit the chances of survival for moths and butterflies. Conserving healthy habitat is the key to conserving their populations. To help them in their struggle for survival, gardeners should remember to cultivate the larval food plants of butterflies and moths common to their area. While some caterpillars can avail of a wide variety of plants, others are quite particular about their food choices. Some are able to eat only a certain type of plant or are limited to one plant species. For ideas on how you can welcome butterflies to your garden, contact CWF for a copy of our Wild About Butterflies handout, or check out our Wild About Gardening website at www.wildaboutgardening.org

Creating Monarch and Pollinator Habitat

Private landowners are increasingly interested in restoring areas of their property to provide improved habitat for Monarchs and other pollinators. While there is abundant information on small-scale gardening with native plants, there is much less on planting at larger scales, such as on one acre or more of land. Here is a brief introduction for landowners in southeastern Canada interested in restoring an area of an acre or more in a cost-effective way. Establishing Pollinator Meadows from Seed*, a document developed by the Xerces Society, is also available online

Bat Party Fundraiser

Bat-tastic guide to make your Halloween event BOO-tiful!

Gardening for Pollinators

Handout on pollinators

Painted Turtle on Log

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Monarch butterfly

We’re featuring a monarch butterfly nabbing some nectar for a mid-afternoon snack

Blanding's Turtle Baby

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Dreaming of Butterflies

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Haunted House

For Halloween, we’re featuring this illustration of a haunted house!

Notable Native Canadian Plants

Helping Bees in the Garden

Gardening for Butterflies

Fawn in the Forest

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Horseshoe Bay, Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario

Download this wallpaper of Horseshoe Bay, Pukaskwa National Park, Ontario