Rachael Aloia - Bronze Level Louisiana Certified Habitat - Lafayette

ANPP congratulates Rachael Aloia for her bronze certified habitat! Her home is in

a suburban neighborhood on the northside of Lafayette.

Rachael has planted natives along with other well-behaved non-natives and

nativars, with her focus on creating habitat for pollinators. She currently has two

beds that act as her front-yard landscaping and plans to expland to the backyard

over the next year. The front beds are also a certified Monarch Watch habitat,

Mahady's Monarch Manor. A monarch flew by during the visit, as if to verify! She

removed her tropical milkweed when she learned about the OE disease, and

replaced them with the native aquatic milkweed.

Her landscape also has frequent visits from hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. ,

Monarch, gulf fritillary, and silvery checkerspot caterpillars are also using their

host plants. A small water feature/bath is available for bees, butterflies, and small

birds. Now that a large water oak has come down in the back yard, Rachael's

creative juices are flowing and she is planning big plants beds with paths through

them. Rachael's welcoming back patio will have such a view!