Butterflies at the Ditch
The Ditch serves as a habitat for a variety of butterfly species. Among the brushfoot species, you can find the Common Buckeye and the Red Admiral. The area also supports milkweed butterflies, including the well-known Monarch and Queen. Additionally, skippers such as the Fiery Skipper and ladies like the American Lady contribute to the diverse butterfly population in this ecosystem.
The Great Migration
Birds are not the only creatures that migrate for the winter. Butterflies do too! The Monarch migration is probably the best known due to its unique time span. Four generations of Monarch butterflies complete the full annual migration, allowing them to survive the winter months.
The Butterfly Life Cycle
The Common Buckeyes seen above were photographed at the Ditch by iNaturalist user ejburns. Check out our iNaturalist project “What’s in a Ditch?”