Click on the cute caterpillar with binoculars to go to Monarch Watch and learn all about these butterflies! |
Each species of butterfly lays its eggs on particular plants. The caterpillars will starve to death rather than to eat any other plants than the ones they are designed to eat. So, if you are serious about attracting more varieties of butterflies to your garden, you need to consider the host plants that the butterflies seek out to lay their eggs on. Zebra Swallowtail - paw paw tree Black Swallowtail - fennel, carrots, parsley Giant Swallowtail - citrus tree, prickly ash tree Pipevine Swallowtail - Dutchman's pipevine Tiger Swallowtail - tulip poplar, wild cherry tree Spicebush Swallowtail - spicebush, sassafras tree Monarch - milkweed Painted Lady - hollyhocks and thistle Red Admiral - false nettles Question Mark & Comma - hop vines, elm tree Silvery Checkerspot - purple coneflowers Sulphur butterfly - white clover and legumes Cabbage white - nasturtium, spider flowers(Cleome) Pearl Crescent - asters Variegated & Gulf Fritillary - passion vines Great Spangled Fritillary - violets |
Did you know that butterflies can use the "weeds" that grow naturally in your lawn? But, only if you have a chemical-free lawn.
Some caterpillars tend to come out at night to eat, and stay hidden during the day at the base of their host plant. Hopefully your lawn mower blades are high enough to miss any caterpillars taking a nap under the plants. A lawn full of pretty violets, white clover blossoms and bright yellow dandelions looks very attractive to a butterfly! |
Question Mark butterfly |
Eastern Black Swallowtail chrysalis and caterpillar |
Monarch caterpillar preparing to pupate |
Monarch chrysalis moments before the butterfly emerges |
Monarch butterfly |
Butterfly Gardening Tips |
Caterpillars are very sensitive to any kind of chemical on the plants that they eat. It is very important to not use any pesticides or other types of poison in your butterfly garden. We buy our plants from nurseries that do not use chemicals on their plants. This includes organic Bt since this targets and kills all caterpillars! |
* * * * * * * * * Wash your hands * * * * * * * * * Caterpillars aren't the only ones that are sensitive to chemicals. We are too! After touching any kind of plants in your garden, it is very important that you wash your hands. Many plants contain natural compounds in their sap or on their leaves that can cause irritation to your skin or mucous membranes (mouth, nose and especially eyes). Examples of these plants include milkweed, rue herb, Dutchman's pipevine, tomato plants and many others. Attention parents and teachers... be sure to teach children to wash their hands after touching insects and plants. Some people are more sensitive (or worse yet, allergic) to certain naturally-occuring compounds. There have been some documented cases of severe reactions to the sap found in milkweed plants when a person touches the sticky leaves and then rubs their eyes or inserts contact lenses without washing their hands carefully! Gardening and raising butterflies can be a very rewarding experience. But please, always use reasonable caution whenever you or your children handle these natural wonders. |
Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar newly hatched and eating its eggshell |
Black Swallowtail |
Red Admiral |
False Nettles |
Question Mark |
Hop Vines |
Red-spotted Purple and Viceroy |
Willows |
Tiger Swallowtail |
Sweet bay magnolia |
Silvery Checkerspot |
Purple Coneflowers |
Monarch |
Milkweed |
Giant Swallowtail |
Prickly Ash |
Pipevine Swallowtail |
Dutchman's Pipevine |
Zebra Swallowtail |
Paw Paw tree |
Spicebush Swallowtail |
Spicebush |
Cabbage white butterfly |
Spider flowers |
Check out this link to Journey North: www.Learner.org/jnorth/ |
"The Life Cycles of Butterflies" by Judy Burris and Wayne Richards |
We recommend buying plants from : www.Butterfliesetc.com |