Milo, the 'Butterfly King', Inspires People to Slow Down and Appreciate Nature

Milo, an 8-year-old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, has a special connection with nature. His hundreds of thousands of followers have given him the nickname, "The Butterfly King", due to his love for spending time in the garden with his butterfly friends.

Milo's calm and curious nature around butterflies was first noticed in 2019 during the Painted Lady butterfly migration through Southern California. While thousands of butterflies filled the sky, Milo quietly sat in the garden, watching them flutter by. This moment inspired his owner, Jen Bennett, to create a garden where butterflies could return year after year.

## A Garden Shared With Butterflies

Jen has created a butterfly garden filled with plants that provide food and places for butterflies to lay their eggs. The garden focuses on supporting Monarch butterflies, whose populations have declined dramatically. Milkweed, the only plant Monarchs lay their eggs on, is the heart of the garden. Hummingbirds also love many of the same flowers, bringing even more life and color to the backyard habitat.

One of the most remarkable parts of the garden is watching Milo interact with the butterflies. He is remarkably calm with them and sometimes they'll even land right on his nose. Flower crowns have been made for him, and butterflies will gently perch on the blooms to sip nectar while he patiently watches.

## A Tiny Butterfly in Need

Milo has also shown his gentle side when he discovered an injured butterfly resting on the ground. He carefully approached the butterfly, gently sniffing it with curiosity. The butterfly was brought inside and made a small flower arrangement filled with fresh blooms so it could feed and regain its strength. Daily, Milo regularly checked on his tiny friend. When the butterfly was finally strong enough to return to the garden, Milo sat beside his owner as they watched it spread its wings and fly away.

## Inspiring a Community to Appreciate Nature

Milo's story has inspired countless people to spend more time outdoors, plant milkweed and other pollinator-friendly flowers, and create habitats that support butterflies and other wildlife. His butterfly adventures have been featured on Good Morning America and Access Daily, and he has built a community of over half a million followers across social media.

Milo remains blissfully unaware of the impact he's having. He's simply a gentle dog who enjoys sitting among the flowers, quietly sharing his garden with the butterflies around him. If Milo has one message to share, it's a simple one: stop to smell the flowers, spend a little more time outside, and maybe - just maybe - a butterfly will choose to land on your nose, too.

You can follow Milo's adventures on Instagram at @milo_the_toller.