Butterflies

How to attract butterflies to you yard

Attract Butterflies to your own yard by having both nectar plants and host plants in the ground or in pots. Adult Butterflies feed on flower nectar which can be obtained from a variety of nectar plants while the caterpillar feeds on specific plants. On occasion a plant can double as both a nectar plant and a host plant such as Milkweed wiith the Monarch and Queen butterfly.

Some Great Nectar Plants

There is a huge variety of nectar plants out there. I would suggest watching what plants Butterflies frequent at your local plant store to see their personal favorites. Here is a small list of suggestions.

Annuals:

Lantana
Pentas
Scabiosa
Verbena
Zinnia elegans
Asters (such as Sunflowers or Daisies)

Perennials:

Bee Balm
Black Eyed Susan
Butterfly Weed
Mint
Purple Coneflower
Red Valerian
Rosemary
Sunflower
Yarrow
Globe Thistle
Honeysuckle
Black eyed-susan Vine

Wildflowers & Shrubs:

Thistle
Yarrow
Goldenrod
Native Sages
Coyotemint
Brittlebush
Ceanothus sp.
Elderberry
Native Cherries
Liliac – Syringia sp.

Some Great Hostplants

Blues: Lupines, Buckwheat, Cape Plumbago
Buckeye: Plantain, Frogfruit, Snapdragon, Monkeyflowers
Gulf Fritillaries: Passionvine
Ladies: Mallows, Everlasting, Thistle, Hollyhock
Milkweed Butterflies: Milkweeds
Mourning Cloak: Willow, Aspen, Cottonwood
Red Admiral: Stinging Nettle, False Nettle
Sulphurs: Senna, Alfalfa, False Indigo, Marigolds, Clover
Swallowtails: Fennel, Citrus, Pipevine, Ceanothus, Native Cherries, Willow
Whites: Mustard, Broccoli, Cabbage

DESPERATLEY SEEKING MILKWEED?

For those raising Monarch butterflies that have run through your supply of milkweed - Later stage caterpillars (think mid-sized to large caterpillars) will take pumpkin and various gourds as a substitute. THIS ONLY WORKS ON MONARCH CATERPILLARS IN CAPTIVITY!! Those not in captivity will not find the gourd slices without help. Slice the pumpkin or gourd into thin slices and place the caterpillars on to feed. Replace the gourd slices each day.

BUTTERFLY RESOURCES

Some Great Butterfly Resources on Facebook:

Some Great Butterfly Resources Online: