Gardening Topic for August 2004
Gardening for the Butterflies

Provided by the Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association
www.wmassmastergardeners.org.

Butterflies are like flying blossoms. Their bright colors and complex patterns are endlessly fascinating. Here are some ideas on how to bring them into your garden.

I like to think that butterflies are a lot like humans. The kids, that is, the caterpillars, are finicky eaters. Most species will eat only a few kinds of plants. These are called the host plants for that species. However, when they get the kind of plant they like, they become eating machines and just shovel it away. This means that raising caterpillars will result in leaf damage to the host plants. Be sure to have enough plants, placed where they will not detract from your show gardens, so that you can afford to share them with the caterpillars.

The adults, on the other hand, just like to hang out in bars and mate. That is, they will come to plants that provide abundant nectar for them to drink. These may or may not be the same as the host plant for the species. In fact, adult butterflies are pretty indiscriminant when it comes to nectar plants, as long as they produce a lot of it. They especially like composite flowers, because they can visit a lot of florets without having to fly very far.

Butterflies also need water. Because they have very short legs, they cannot use most ponds or birdbaths. In nature, they get their water from the muddy edges of puddles or gravel bars in streams. An effective butterfly water supply can be made by filling a shallow bowl just to the rim with rounded pebbles and adding water to almost cover the pebbles.

In designing a butterfly garden, keep in mind that butterflies are extremely light weight and that it takes a lot of energy for them to fly. Therefore, you should mass your nectar flowers in beds that are protected from the wind. Areas that get morning sun are best, because the butterflies have to warm up before they can fly. If you want to take photos of butterflies, it is best to do so in the early morning, when they are stretching their wings but are not yet warm enough to fly.

Timing is another important aspect of butterfly gardening. Different species of butterfly are active at different times of the spring, summer and fall. You need to think about what kinds of butterflies you are interested in and be sure that you have flowers during the time that they are flying. Better yet, try to design for a succession of blooms all season long.

When gardening for butterflies, it is important to avoid the use of insecticides. Remember, butterflies are insects, so insecticides will kill them. If you must use an insecticide, choose a product that is labeled only for the specific insect you are targeting. For instance, if you need to control mosquito larvae in a pond, use dunks with a Bt formulation that is specific to mosquitoes. Never spray a broad spectrum insecticide around the yard or use a "bug zapper".

Food plants for adult butterflies include
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
Butterfly Weed (Ascelpias tuberosa)
Oregano (Oreganum sp.)
Bee Balm (Monarda didyma)
Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)
Lilac (Syringa vulgaris)
Cosmos (Cosmos var.)
Gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa)
Heliotrope (Heliotropium var.)
Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)
Sage (Salvia var.)
Verbena (Verbena var.)
Zinnia (Zinnia var.)

Host plants for common butterfly eggs and caterpillars include:
Monarch - Common Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Black Swallowtail - Parsely (Petroselinum var.), Queen Anne's Lace (Dacus carota)
Tiger Swallowtail - Wild Cherry (Prunus serotina), Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Meadow and Great Spangled Fritillaries - Violets (Viola sp.)
Red Admiral - Nettles (Urtica sp.)
White Admiral - Birch (Betula sp.) and Poplar (Populus sp.)
Mourning Cloak and Viceroy - Willow (Salix sp.)
Clouded Sulphur - Clover (Trifolium sp.)

Consult a good field guide to learn about the host plants for other butterflies that are breeding in your area.

With careful design and a little common sense, you too can have a garden full of "flying blossoms".

Provided by the Western Massachusetts Master Gardener Association
www.wmassmastergardeners.org.