Chattanooga 8-Year Old Named Young Eco-Hero for Saving Monarch Butterflies

A New York Times article about the plight of the Monarch butterfly recently caught the attention of a local fourth grader.  His efforts to help replace their lost habitat recently earned him national recognition.

8-year old Ben Workinger may know more about Monarch butterflies than anyone else his age.  "There's six caterpillars per egg, it looks like one egg but that's because its six bunched together.  When caterpillars are first born, they're as tiny as a pencil mark.  There's only one plant monarch caterpillars eat.

Ben's knowledge of the transition from caterpillar to butterfly and everything in between recently earned him the title "Young Eco-Hero" by the environmental group Action For Nature.

Last year, Ben put that knowledge to work, building a Monarch Waystation at his school.  "Also I created one at my house and now Normal Park is going to do it."

Ben and nearly a dozen classmates constructed this garden, with milkweed as its center piece.

Monarch's have found the plant in short supply during their multi-generational migration from Canada to Mexico.  "The cows eat the milk weed plant and it makes their milk taste sour so farmers don't like it and they cut it down," says Ben.

Aside from the milkweed for the Monarch caterpillar, the waystation features plenty of plants full of nectar for adult butterflies.  The waystation attracts several varieties of butterflies, along with dragonflies and exotic birds... leading Bright School to use it as an outdoor classroom.

As for why Ben took on this plight, his answer remains simple.  "I wanted to help the butterflies because I like nature."

Ben won $100 for his efforts from Action For Nature.  He plans to invest the money in more milkweed plants for waystations.