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Major Components of a Successful Butterfly Garden

1. Adult Nectar Sources: Flowering plants are the anchor to any butterfly garden. They provide a mix of color for your yard and ample nectar for adult butterflies. Most butterflies tend to be somewhat opportunistic and will nectar at a wide range of available flowers.
2. Larval Host Plants: Specific plants that have the correct chemical and nutritional composition to attract egg laying female butterflies and support developing larvae (caterpillars). Unlike adult butterflies, larvae have very discriminating tastes and only utilize certain plant species for food.
3. Shelter: Butterflies like other organisms seek shelter from temperature extremes, inclement weather and predators as well as protected locations for resting and roosting. A garden landscape with a variety of plantings creates numerous protected pockets that butterflies can utilize.
4. Water Source with Fountain: Provides constant over spray to moisten surrounding vegetation and soil. Allows adult butterflies easy access to water, salts and amino acids as well as selected areas for thermoregulation.

 

Garden Design Basics

1. Provide a combination of adult nectar sources and larval host plants. Encourages butterflies to remain in your yard, reproduce and build populations instead of just passing through. Allows gardener to observe and appreciate all life history stages.
2. Use native plants whenever possible. Native plants are adapted to the climate, habitat and soil of the area where they naturally occur. As a result, they typically perform better, require less water once established, and are less susceptible to pest and disease attack than many cultivated species. Native plants also help create a small but representative extension of the natural ecosystem that has the ability to attract and sustain other wildlife.
3. Create horizontal and vertical heterogeneity. When planning your garden, choose plants that have a variety of different heights and growth habits. The increased diversity creates numerous microclimates and establishes multiple levels of feeding opportunities for adult butterflies. The varied landscape will in turn appeal to and attract a greater diversity of butterfly species.
4. Provide consistent nectar and host plant availability. Choose plants that have different bloom times or that perform better at particular times of the year. This ensures that your garden will remain attractive and productive as long as possible. It also allows butterflies to gain access to needed resources during periods of low natural availability.
5. Utilize a variety of flower colors. Different butterfly species has distinct color preferences so include a wide spectrum of flower colors in your planting plan.
6. Provide a mix of flower shapes. The feeding behavior and proboscis length of a butterfly dictate which flowers will and can be visited. Long-tubed flowers for example are typically more accessible to species with long proboscis whereas many composites provide a stable feeding platform and easy nectar availability for smaller species.
7. Plant in sun and shade. It is a common misconception that a butterfly garden has to be planted in full sun. While many nectar plants, host plants and butterflies do prefer full sun, there are a number of woodland and forest edge butterfly species that are at home in shadier locations and infrequently venture out into open, sunny areas. A garden plan that includes both sunny and shady sections will attract a wider range of butterfly species.
8. Plant in groupings. Group a number of the same plant species together whenever possible. Masses or drifts of color are aesthetically pleasing and tend to be more apparent in the landscape. Plant groupings also help minimize individual plant growth inconsistencies, provide ample nectar and host availability, and mask leaf damage caused by feeding larvae.
9. Choose the appropriate plant for each location: Make sure you understand the basic light, soil, nutrient, and water requirements of each plant selected and plan accordingly. A little homework will help you avoid many common planting mistakes and provide the best possible environment for plant growth and flower production.

 

Garden Maintenance

1. Give new plants a good start: Mulch and regularly water all new plantings to reduce weed competition and insure they become firmly established. Provide a little TLC in the beginning and you will be quickly rewarded with healthier, stronger and more productive plants.
2. Fertilize regularly: Although not absolutely essential, regular fertilizer application will encourage maximum plant growth and flower production. The exact application schedule will depend on the particular product used, the plant species involved and the garden location.
3. Avoid pesticides: All butterfly life history stages are extremely sensitive to pesticides. Even the slightest drift from nearby application can be deadly. When a pest problem arises treat it locally and never spray the entire garden. Start with the least toxic product first before reaching for the hardcore chemicals. Insecticidal soaps for example can be very effective when used properly. Inspect your plants regularly for insect pests and clip off infected leaves or branches. Remember that most infestations start out small. Utilize natural enemies whenever possible. Most nurseries and garden center now sell beneficial predators and parasitoids. The overall cost is comparable to chemicals but the control is superior. The only natural control to avoid at all costs is Bt. Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is a naturally occurring bacterium that is deadly to herbivorous insects including butterfly larvae.
4. Learn to identify the butterfly species in your area: Familiarizing yourself with many of the common local butterflies makes gardening.html.html for them more enjoyable. It allows you to put a name with the face so to speak. It also allows you to gear plantings for particular desirable butterfly species. You may even wish to keep a log of the butterflies observed, recording their behavior, abundance, months of occurrence and the flowers they visited. It is a fun and educational activity for the whole family. For our online field guide of common butterflies, click here.