Gardening for Butterflies
by Gary A. Dunn, M.S., F.R.E.S., Y.E.S. Director of Education
Introduction
There's something magical about the way that ugly little caterpillars can transform themselves into free-spirited butterflies. Butterflies go where they please, and they please where they go! If you would like to significantly increase the chance that butterflies will visit your yard, then butterfly gardening is for you. There are many ways to restore or improve natural butterfly habitats, or to create new ones by designing and creating butterfly gardens. Butterfly gardens can be created in window boxes, small flower beds, entire backyards, vacant lots, parks, and even indoor greenhouses.
Are butterflies important? Butterflies are very important in our world and this fact often gets overlooked. There are about 120,000 species of butterflies in the world (10,000 in North America). The aesthetic and entertainment value of butterflies ranks very high for many people, but butterflies are more than beautiful; they are important "threads" that keep the "fabric" of nature from unraveling. Butterflies are extremely important as plant pollinators, and as food for other animals (birds, mammals, amphibians, spiders, and other insects). Butterflies are also very sensitive to changes in the environment, and help warn us about unhealthy changes that are taking place.
Only two species of native butterflies have larvae (caterpillars) that are occasional pests: the mourning cloak and the alfalfa butterfly. The cabbage butterfly, an introduced species, is now extremely abundant and sometimes causes damage to cabbage and related crops.
Aren't some butterflies rare? Because of people's activities and destruction of butterfly habitats, some butterflies have become rare, threatened, endangered, and even extinct. The Xerces blue butterfly is the first butterfly in North America to become extinct due to human activity. To increase the awareness about the importance of butterflies, some states have adopted official state butterflies.
Planning a Butterfly Garden
If you are contemplating the construction of a butterfly garden, take a few moments to assess your resources. How much time are you willing (and able) to invest in planting and maintaining your garden? How much money do you want to spend? Is the garden intended to be a formal or informal one? Are you going to provide butterfly nectar plants, caterpillar food plants, or both? How are you going to deal with pest problems without pesticides? Are you willing to discourage insect-feeding birds (no nest boxes or berry bushes)? The answers to these questions will help you determine the size and scope of your butterfly garden.
Step 1 - A Butterfly Survey. The first step in planning a butterfly garden is to conduct a butterfly survey for your area. You should plan on spending at least 4 or 5 hours a day (between mid-morning and early afternoon) on at least three warm, sunny days to determine the status of butterflies in your area. You will find binoculars or a net (for capture and release), a field guide, and a notebook useful. In your notebook record the butterfly species you see and their local nectaring choices.
Step 2 - Site Selection. The best site for a butterfly garden is one that is sunny (for at least 5-6 hours each day), calm (protected by a sheltering windbreak), and relatively undisturbed (only occasional visits and disturbances by humans). A water supply is also a valuable consideration. Keep this in mind: the more natural the area the greater the number and diversity of butterflies attracted.
After you have selected your site, it's a good idea to have the soil tested. This will provide you with valuable insight into the chemical makeup and condition (texture) of your soil. The soil testing lab will gladly provide you with suggestions for improving soil fertility and drainage, if needed.
Step 3 - Choosing Your Plants. Successful butterfly gardens incorporate two different types of plants (from the butterfly perspective, that is) - larval food plants and adult nectar plants. Larval food plants are those on which the eggs are laid and the caterpillars feed. Nectar plants provide nourishment for the adult butterflies. While it is possible to design a butterfly garden with only nectar plants, the number of butterflies visiting these gardens will be lower than those gardens that incorporate larval food plants. When you include larval food plants you give the butterflies a reason to "stick around" for longer periods of time by making it possible for them to mate and reproduce there, as well as get a good meal!
Generally speaking, the best butterfly nectar plants are those that are sunloving, purple, pink, yellow or white in color, and single-flowered rather than double flowered. Butterflies will seek nectar from many types of plants: ground covers (clover, alfalfa, and periwinkle), annuals (marigolds, petunias, verbena, and zinnia), perrenials (butterfly weed, coneflowers, daisies, and phlox), shrubs (azalea, butterfly bush, and lilac) ,and trees (plum, pear and cherry).
There are four basic guiding principles in arranging your chosen plants: (1) place shorter plants in the front (or outside edges) and taller plants in the back (or center); (2) place larval food plants in hidden and less obvious areas; (3) plant in large groups of one color rather than single plants of different colors; and (4) plan for a continuous bloom through the entire growing season with spring, summer, and fall blooming plants. Before you put any plants in the ground, however, sit down and draw a sketch or two - remembering to consider sun, wind, and access to shelter and water. Only after considering all the possibilities is it time to visit the nursery!
Step 4 - The Finishing Touches. Including any of the following items will improve the attractancy of your garden to butterflies: (1) damp spots or shallow puddles (for drinking); (2) large field stones (for basking); (3) pieces of fruit (citrus, bananas, peaches, and apples work well) or a butterfly feeder (for supplemental nectaring); and (4) butterfly hibernation boxes (for overwintering). And don't forget, avoid the use of pesticides in and around your butterfly garden!
Butterfly Nectar Plants: Shrubs
Butterfly Nectar Plants: Wildflowers
Butterfly Nectar Plants: Cultivated Flowers
Click here to go to the bibliography of information on butterfly and hummingbird gardening.
The Young Entomologists' Society offers a wide selection of materials on butterflies and butterfly gardening in the Minibeast Merchandise Mall. All sales support the nonprofit, educational programs and services of the Society.
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