Butterfly Gardening

When I first decided to do an article on butterfly cultivation, I had in mind a brief description of our most common species, their food of choice, and a description of the various stages of life of our common species. Much to my dismay, I discovered that there were at least 235 species in California and except for color and size differences, they all looked like- you know- butterflies! I knew I was out of my league on this one.

In researching, I did learn some interesting facts abut butterflies which I'd like to share, and some nifty butterfly/plant relationships of interest to those of us who'd love to have our gardens swarming with butterflies.

Which came first, the chicken or the egg, or in this case, the butterfly or the pupa? In either case, I don't know, but for our purposes, we'll start with the adult butterfly, also known as the imago. The average life span of a butterfly is two to four weeks. These few short weeks are spent eating, mating and reproducing. (We should all be so lucky!) Butterflies are strictly nectar- eaters and are seen in our area from early spring to late fall.

After mating, the butterfly lays her eggs on a host plant, either singly or in clusters. The host plant will be the food source of the larva or larvae, as the case may be. The larval stage of the butterfly is what we call a caterpillar. The caterpillar will feed on the host plant until he has reached the maximum size for his species. During this stage of development, the caterpillar will outgrow his skin several times and "molt" or change skin. When the caterpillar has reached this maximum size, he is ready for the next stage- pupation. The caterpillar will leave his host plant, seek a place of shelter and change into a pupa, around which the cocoon will be spun. Depending on the species of butterfly, pupation may take as little as two weeks or as long as a year. This stage ends with the emergence of the adult butterfly or imago, and the cycle begins anew.

For those interested in gardening for butterflies, it is important to provide host plants for the eggs and caterpillars, as well as nectar plants for the imago. Plant both host and nectar plants in the sunshine as butterflies love the sun; and remember, never use pesticides on your butterfly garden. One chomp or sip from a treated plant will put an end to this beautiful cycle of life. Butterflies are not attracted to dull hues, so make sure your chosen nectar plants are brightly colored.

Host plants:
Don't laugh, but a lot of these are common yard "weeds."

Cheeseweed Marsh mallow Zebra mallow Nettles

Milkweed Lupines Rue Fennel

Parsley Queen Anne's lace Hyacinth bean

Favorite nectar plants are:

Dandelion Joe-Pye weed Lantana Cosmos Butterfly bush

Strawberry clover Ligustrum Coneflowers Dianthus Daisies

Verbena Hollyhocks Coreopsis Asters Phlox

Enjoy your butterfly garden and enjoy the butterflies who will show their thanks merely by hanging out with you. Besides, isn't a butterfly garden a great excuse not to pull those pesky "weeds" from your garden?

— Cindy Traisi