‘Project Milkweed’ begins to preserve butterfly habitats

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — “Project Milkweed” has begun to help restore and preserve monarch butterfly habitats.

The Tennessee Department of Transportations says that the project is a new mail-order resource that will provide free native milkweed seeds to state residents.

Milkweed is a flowering plant that serves as a place for a monarch butterfly to lay eggs, and it also serves as food for the larvae and caterpillars, TDOT says.

TDOT says the natural toxins within the milkweed leave build-up in the body of the caterpillar and give the adult butterfly a bitter taste for protection against predators.

“Pollinators are vital to life, growing food, and the economy of Tennessee,” TDOT Commissioner Butch Eley said. “This effort is an excellent way to educate the public about their critical importance and the threats they face and expand pollinator-friendly practices from TDOT-owned rights-of-way to neighborhood backyards.”

The monarch butterfly population and milkweed habitats have experienced a 90% decline since 1992, and efforts like Project Milkweed are critical to restoring these pollinators and host plants, TDOT says.

You can fill out the online form here to get the seeds. TDOT says the orders are taken on a rolling basis and will be fulfilled during September and October.

You can find more news from across the state here.