Volunteers plant seeds in Little Canada to build habitat for pollinators

It’s only February, but the state is already thinking about the welfare of butterflies and bees for the spring.

Volunteers with Xcel Energy and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spread seeds over the snow Wednesday on 2 acres of land in Little Canada. They hope to restore the habitat of pollinators, such as monarch butterflies and bees.

Authorities say late winter is actually one of the best times to plant seeds.

"The idea is is that when you place the seeds on the snow, it’s more of a natural type of seeding where in the spring as the snow melts, those seeds settle into the soil and kind of get a jump on the weeds and other things that may come up," said Tom Hillstrom with Xcel Energy.

The volunteers planted six different types of grasses, over 30 varieties of wildflower and three kinds of milkweed.