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| Painted Lady Photo Credit: Wieland Teixeira (iStock) via OutThere Colorado |
As springtime days warm up and the snow starts to melt, Colorado blossoms with colors from the wildflowers, garden flowers, and the wings of butterflies.
Butterflies often appear to be just passing through, occasionally stopping for a drink of nectar. You can prolong the stay of these colorful insects and draw in others by providing the food and shelter they need.
Butterflies seek out areas with food plants for the caterpillar stage. Adult butterflies also feed on fluids such as nectar from flowers.
Make your yard more attractive to butterflies by providing the proper environment - which can be food plants used the various caterpillars, food sources for the adult butterflies, and the physical environment.
Most butterflies prefer some shelter from the high winds common along the Front Range. At the same time, they like open, sunny areas. Windbreak plantings or other means of sheltering the butterfly garden can help provide a suitable physical environment.
Food for the adult butterflies usually consists of sweet liquids, such as nectar from flowers, that will provide energy.
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| Black Swallowtail Photo Credit: marcophotos (iStock) via OutThere Colorado |
When planning a garden, create a large patch of different flower species to attract and retain butterflies. Consider flowers that bloom in sequence - this is particularly important during summer when flower visiting by butterflies is most frequent.
“A few butterflies also develop on certain garden crops and may be pests if the vegetable is considered more desirable than the insects. The European cabbage butterfly (on broccoli, cabbage and other mustards) and the black swallowtail (on parsley and dill) are common garden inhabitants in Colorado.” ~CSU
“Use insecticides sparingly because most are not compatible with attracting and increasing the number of butterflies in a yard. Most garden insecticides can kill the caterpillar stages of the insects. Adult butterflies also can be killed by resting on insecticide-treated surfaces.” ~CSU
For more information - including preferred food for both the caterpillars and the adult butterflies, see CSU's: Attracting Butterflies to the Garden – 5.504
