HOW TO SELECT BUTTERFLY-FRIENDLY PLANTS Choosing plants. Don’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, as they can harm butterflies and other wildlife. Group the same plants in drifts of 3-5 so that butterflies can more easily spot the larger swaths of color. Pavement, rocks, or exposed soil will absorb heat, providing additional warmth. Make sure there’s a spot where sunlight hits early in the day so butterflies can warm up quickly. Locate your butterfly garden in a part of your yard that receives at least 6 hours of sun each day. Butterflies are cold-blooded insects that will be less active on colder mornings. Place in a visible spot and change water frequently.
Set out a birdbath or plant saucer filled with water and rocks where butterflies can perch. Shallow puddles or moist sandy areas, which are preferred water sources for butterflies, also provide salts and essential minerals. Another source of shelter is a log pile, which can be hidden out of sight in a secluded corner of the yard. These plants will also give places for butterflies to roost at night or hide from predators. To protect butterflies, site trees and shrubs where they will provide a windbreak and a place out of the rain. (Get the kids involved with this DIY butterfly feeder.)ĭIY butterfly feeder. Butterfly larvae have chewing mouth parts and feed on leafy food plants such as milkweed foliage, parsley, and fennel. In addition to flower nectar, they also consume tree sap, pollen, fallen fruit, and animal dung. They drink through a long tubular tongue that uncoils to sip liquid. Adult butterflies rely solely on liquid food sources. Choose a suitable area of your yard and draw a rough sketch that includes the basic components that butterflies need. Make a list of plants that will support those particular butterflies. Determine which species you want to attract and are most likely to be in your area. By providing the basics of shelter, water, and food-including butterfly-friendly plants-butterflies have a greater chance of thriving and reproducing. How to Select Butterfly-Friendly PlantsĬreating a hospitable environment will entice butterflies to stay around long enough to lay eggs for a new generation.7 Steps to a Beautiful Butterfly Garden.
Here are some tips to help you create a successful butterfly garden. Homeowners can help support these beneficial insects by creating a butterfly sanctuary in their yards. In recent years, butterfly habitat has been significantly reduced due to property development and large-scale farming, resulting in dwindling populations. Aside from the aesthetic pleasure of watching a variety of butterflies flutter from flower to flower in search of nectar, these beautiful winged insects are an integral part of the ecosystem, playing an essential role in plant pollination. Senna or cassia species are hosts to the orange-barred sulphur and similar species.įor more information, please see the Landscape IPM Website.As one of nature’s most endearing creatures, there is something magical about butterflies visiting the garden. The fact sheet and poster set available through the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (below), is a beginners guide to selecting host plants for our most common butterfly gardening species, including the black swallowtail on parsley, dill or fennel, the gulf frittilary on passion vine, and monarch butterfly on milkweeds. They are also attracted to fermenting sap on tree trunks, wet soil areas for water and other sites that provide them the energy and capacity to disperse, mate and lay eggs on host plants. Texas has over a hundred butterfly species (Neck and Agilvsg 1996) due to the diverse ecological regions in the state.Īdult stages, the butterflies, are attracted to many flowering plants as nectar sources. Planning landscapes to actually “invite” butterflies (and other insects) to enrich the environment is welcomed by entomologists and others who enjoy our insect fauna (Ajilvsgi 1991). The concept of butterfly gardening has been embraced by homeowners, school and park managers and arboretums throughout the nation.