Planting milkweed brings beneficial butterflies, bees

It’s so hot, the cows around here are giving condensed milk.

Thankfully, my little wet-weather creek is flowing right along, thanks to recent abundant rains.

But I don’t hear any frogs croaking as I did years ago after a good rain. I guess they just can’t survive in the long, dry periods between showers.

Hot weather certainly makes the birdbath in my backyard more attractive to birds. I fill it every day with fresh water, and sometimes more than once if the birds have been especially splashy. Boy, they really love to flutter around in that shallow water, with droplets flying all over the place.

If you have space in your backyard, I heartily recommend installing a birdbath. Preferably, a heavy concrete type that won’t tip over.

And make sure it’s in the shade if at all possible. Every little bit of cooling helps.

You might also consider planting a plant that will really help butterflies and other beneficial insects. I speak of milkweed.

By planting milkweed, you will greatly aid the declining monarch butterfly that drinks nectar from that plant’s flowers. Also, milkweed supports a host of other insect species, including pollinators like bees, moths, hoverflies and beetles.

There are more than 70 milkweed species native to the United States and one of the most common is swamp milkweed found in more than 40 states, including Texas.

Not only do insects like monarch and queen butterflies drink nectar from the plant’s flowers — they also lay eggs on leaves that the hungry emerging caterpillars chow down on. Red milkweed beetles live on larvae in the roots of milkweed plants.

All in all, milkweed supports lots and lots of beneficial critters. Check your local plant nursery to see if they carry species that are native to our area.