A couple of days ago, I was standing in the yard with my
6-year old neighbor, watching a butterfly flit around the garden. She was
thoroughly entranced until the butterfly flew away. With a heavy sigh, she
shook her head and said, “I just wish they would stay a little longer.”
It’s true, butterflies often seem to be just passing through
our yards. You can prolong their visit by changing some of your gardening
practices to provide them the food and shelter they are seeking.
Adult female butterflies search for food plants where they
can lay eggs. Not just any plant will do – caterpillars of the monarch
butterfly develop only on milkweed. The black swallowtail caterpillar feeds
only on parsley, dill and closely related plants. So while you may have lots of
lovely blooming flowers in your yard, they may not be beckoning the
butterflies. If you provide the necessary food plants for developing
caterpillars, you may have the opportunity to watch the butterfly in all stages
of development.
Adult butterflies feed on sweet liquids (like honeydew
produced by aphids) and nectar from flowers. Flowers with more nectar are
better butterfly attractors. When
planning a butterfly garden, create a large patch of a nectar-rich flower species
to attract and retain butterflies. Take a look at the CSU Extension Sheet #5.504, Attracting Butterflies to the Garden” for a comprehensive list of
plants that provide food for caterpillars and nectar for adult butterflies.
Consider planting some native plants in the mix.
On a historical note, butterflies were considered a symbol
of hope during the Holocaust. In an effort to memorialize the 1.5 million
Jewish children killed during the Holocaust, the Holocaust Museum in Houston is
collecting 1.5 million handmade butterflies for a special exhibit in 2013.
Check out the Butterfly Project website for information about the Butterfly
Project and instructions on sending your handmade butterflies.
