Plants To Attract Butterflies To Your garden
Butterfly Hibernation Areas
Butterflies don't like cold weather and they hibernate in naturally
protected structures. Such structures can be massed debris winter
log piles and the like. It's even better if the debris is protected
further using canvas type sheetings. The ideal spot is close to the
plants that butterflies like to feed on and use for shelter and use
as host plants (places to lay eggs that develop into caterpillars
that feed on the host plants).
Garden Requirements For An Ideal Butterfly Spot
Sunny & Warm location and some Moisture and a Bit Of Shelter Protection
Butterflies need the sun to warm their body temperature to between 85-100 F ( about 30 to 37 degrees C) range needed for flying. Early morning sun o large surface area wings allows this heat to be captured in order to warm the butterflies up. You'll often see butterflies in hundreds maybe thousands all clustered around small muddy wet patches of ground. The butterflies are taking in moisture this way. They cannot drink in the normal sense of the word.
To help rapid energy accumulation it also helps to place heat absorbent materials like rocks in the area close to where you will attract butterflies.
In addition an artificial garden butterfly spot will benefit from maintaining a boggy area or one that is always wet
Trees, shrubs, fences, and buildings can provide protection from prevailing winds. A leafy cover offers a hiding place from hungry birds. Untidiness
Important Food or Nectar plants and Butterfly host plants
Butterflies originate from caterpillars of specific types and in turn specific caterpillars need highly specific plants to thrive. For this reason many butterflies become endangered when pristine land areas become threatened by urban developments.
A particular butterfly comes to mind here called Orachrysops niobe (Brenton Blue Butterfly) ...
(photo: HG Robertson).
The Brenton Blue, Orachrysops niobe, was first described by Roland Trimen in 1868. It was seen along the South African Garden Route in 1975 but since then the Brenton Blue was thought to be extinct. In 1991 it was re-discovered by a lepidopterist, Ernest Pringle, near Knysna restricted to a few stands at Brenton on Sea that were about to be developed. After the discovery, the development was put on hold and studies were done to establish the conservation status of the butterfly and to determine the distribution; to assess the site and the host plant Indigofera erecta (caterpillars need this plant) and to determine if a symbiotic relationship with ants existed. The study was also an attempt to establish if the site is in fact the only remaining site where the butterfly occurs.
Not all the questions have been answered but it has been concluded that the Brenton-on-Sea site is crucial to the survival of O. niobe and there should be no further development on or near the site and a management program of the host plant is required. Research is ongoing
Both the butterflies and the caterpillars need specific plants or flowers to satisfy their energy needs. You will increase your chances of a good butterfly catchment area by planting a wide variety of plants in your butterfly garden.
Of course, the more varieties you can plant, the greater your chances for attracting more butterflies and it si suggested that that planting in clumps not rows increases the likelihood of butterflies finding and choosing your garden for a feeding stop. The proper host plant for caterpillar feeding must be included to ultimately have the desired butterfly species. (See chart below.) Info from Iowa university http://www.extension.iastate.edu/Publications/RG323.pdf
A butterfly garden can be as simple as a massed planting of butterfly-favorite plants in a sunny corner of your yard
| Butterfly | Host plant (caterpillar needs) | Nectar plant (butterfly needs) |
| American Painted Lady | burdock, ironweed, everlastings, pussy toes | thistle, knapweed, aster, yarrow, marigold, zinnia |
| Great Spangled Fritillary | violets | thistle, coneflowers, bee balm, milkweed, ironweed |
| Monarch | milkweed | milkweed, goldenrod, thistle, liatris, cosmos |
| Mourning Cloak | willow, elm, poplar, birch, hackberry | milkweed, rotting fruit, sap, shasta daisy |
| Pearl Crescent | aster | aster, thistle, black-eyed susan, milkweed |
| Question Mark | nettles, hackberry, elm | rotting fruit, sap, aster, milkweed |
| Red Admiral | nettles | rotting fruit, sap, aster, thistle, dandelion, clover |
| Common Sulfur | white clover, vetch, alfalfa | clover, goldenrod, aster, milkweed, phlox |
| Eastern Black Swallowtail | carrot, dill, parsley | milkweed, thistle, phlox, clover, alfalfa |
| Giant Swallowtail | prickly ash | milkweed, lilac, goldenrod, dames rocket |
| Tiger Swallowtail | cherry, ash, birch, cottonwood, willow, lilac | thistle, milkweed, phlox, bee balm, clover, sunflower |