60 Morgan Road
Binghamton, NY 13903
(607) 724-5461 x 300
Gift Shop Phone
Open Friday - Monday
10 am-4 pm. Last Entry 3 pm
Binghamton, NY 13903
Gift Shop Phone
10 am-4 pm. Last Entry 3 pm
Join us on June 7th, 2025 and learn from our gardening volunteers about how to recognize butterflies, how to start your own pollinators garden at home, and what it takes to make a monarch waystation!
Butterflies need two different kinds of plants to thrive:
1. Flowers, which provide nectar (food),
2. and host plants, which provide a place for the butterfly to lay her eggs and ensure her caterpillars survive!
The best plants to plant are the ones native to the area where the butterfly lives. In the Northeast, the following plants are ideal for Butterflies and would make appropriate gifts to the Ross Park Zoo pollinator garden:
Flowers: Latana, Zinnia, Coneflower, Aster, Beebalm, Phlox, Salvia, and Cosmos.
Host Plants: Dill, Parsley, Columbine, Clover, Cabbage, Kale, Violets, and Pussytoes.
Broome County is home to over 50 different species of butterflies! But don’t let that abundance fool you; according to a recent study, in the past 20 years, butterflies have declined nearly 25%!
These amazing pollinators need our help!
Monarch butterflies are possibly the most well-known with their vibrant orange wings.
Cabbage white and common sulfurs can be found in any backyard, frolicking and fluttering frantically.
There are so many butterflies to see, right here in own own backyards! Challenge yourself to recognize these butterflies commonly found in the Northeast.
