By Cynthia Grau/WJEZ News

Monarch butterflies are making a comeback after population numbers lagged in recent years.

Planting a mix of native butterfly weed and annual tropical milkweed was a winning combination for the small 4-H garden plot planted this past summer, according to Kelly Allsup, University of Illinois Horticulture Educator.

“Today, we have .01 percent of the population we had 20 years ago. I think the wet spring really helped out the milkweed and I think gardeners are planting more of the milkweed. In a 10-by-15 garden, we counted 76 monarch caterpillars,” Allsup said.

For more information, contact Allsup at 309-663-8306.