A proud gardener was in for a rude awakening after sharing a video of active pollinators in their yard to r/gardening.
“Every day we had a chance to see so many pollinators and micro-pollinators! Definitely adding more to the farm next year,” wrote the original poster.
What they didn’t realize is the butterfly bush they were referring to is an invasive plant in North America. Worse still, despite attracting plenty of adult pollinators, it doesn’t deliver any nutrition to young caterpillars. Because butterfly bushes rapidly outcompete native flowers, there will be few nearby alternatives for pollinators to feed on.
Worse still, butterfly bush can attract pollinators away from native plants, so those native plants don’t reproduce. In time, a lack of food for larvae means there will not be any young in this area to replace the old butterflies.
Invasive species are typically introduced to new areas by human transportation. Without the checks and balances a species evolved with, it can rapidly spread in a new home. If successful enough, an invasive species can create a monopoly on vital resources like food, water, and space.
This drives down biodiversity and key ecosystem services that people depend on. One study suggested we lose hundreds of billions of dollars annually due to invasive species.
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To combat this, it’s best to keep a wild yard full of native species. Since these plants are well adapted to the local climate, they’re low-maintenance and require little watering. Wildlife, including pollinators, thrive in native gardens.
Reddit commenters were quick to correct the original poster about their gardening decision and were especially harsh about the nutritional value of butterfly bush.
“I call this Mountain Dew bush because that’s basically what you’re giving those beautiful butterflies,” said one community member.
“This is like putting in a McDonald’s to keep the kids healthy and thin,” said the top-voted reply.
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