Butterfly Gardening Written and Presented by: Cathy LeVahn Anoka County Master Gardener, Minnesota Tree Care Advisor

 Introduction  Behaviors to Watch  Creating a Butterfly Garden Butterfly Gardening

 Wildlife habitat is being destroyed ◦ Commercial development ◦ Residential development  Butterfly gardening encourages habitat restoration Introduction

 Minnesota – 200 species  Adult lifespan – 2 weeks  Several generations each season  Some hibernate, others migrate Introduction Freedigitalphotos.net

 Provides host plant for larval growth and adult feeding  Uses native and horticultural cultivars of annuals and perennials ◦ Sip nectar ◦ Lay eggs ◦ Source of food Butterfly Gardening Can Be Easy!

 Encourages the establishment of butterfly populations  Butterflies return year after year  Environmental stewardship  Personal enjoyment! Why?

 The insect order Lepidoptera consists of butterflies and moths ◦ Butterflies – 8% of species ◦ Moths – 92% of species Butterfly or Moth?

 Butterflies are brightly colored ◦ Advertises distastefulness to predators ◦ Females look for noxious host plants to lay their eggs ◦ Distasteful to birds Butterfly or Moth? Peacock Butterfly photograph by Leon Truscott

 Moths are dully colored  Lack functional mouth parts  Highly palatable to birds  Most are active after dusk Butterfly or Moth? US Forest Service

Key Distinctions Antennae clubbed (Nymphalidae: Monarch butterfly) plumose (Saturniidae: Luna moth) slender (Sphingidae: Sphinx moth)

Key Distinctions Body slender, smooth (Pieridae: Sulphur butterfly) thick, furry (Arctiidae: Tiger moth)

Key Distinctions Wings at rest usually held upright (Lycaenidae: Hairstreak butterfly) held flat (Noctuidae: Underwing moth) rooflike (Geometridae: Goat moth)

Key Distinctions Transformational stage butterfly: chrysalis moth: pupa naked or cocoon

Black Swallowtail

Spicebush Swallowtail

Checkered White

Small Copper

Variegated Fritillary birdsbeesandbutterflies.com

Great Spangled Fritillary

American Copper

American Painted Lady New Mexico State University

Monarch Texas Parks and Wildlife

Checkered Skipper

Red Admiral Discover butterflies.com

Behaviors to Watch  Feeding ◦ Use flower nector as primary food source ◦ Required for energy/flight bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au

Behaviors to Watch  Feeding ◦ Some suggested nectar plants for adult butterflies :

Blueberries (Vaccinium) bartlettsblueberryfarm.com

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia) Photographer: Marie

Lilac (Syringa)

Coneflowers (Echinacea)

Impatiens (Impatiens) M. Myers

Marigolds (Tagetes) Gardening Paradise

Phlox (Paniculata) GardenWeb.com

Sunflower (Helianthus)

Aster (Aster) Ark Master Gardeners

Bee Balm (Monarda) Photograph by G. Fauske

Sedum (Sedum) DailyEncouragement.net

Behaviors to Watch static.flickr.com  Basking ◦ Butterflies are cold-blooded ◦ They fly best when air temperatures range from 75-90º ◦ Basks in sun to warm up

Behaviors to Watch  Puddling ◦ Congregate at wet edge of mud puddles or wet sandy areas ◦ Fluids rich in salts and nutrients ◦ Required to mate successfully

Behaviors to Watch  Patrolling and Perching ◦ Males search out females for mating ◦ Fly over areas where females are laying eggs ◦ Perch on tall plants for lookout Photo by Alice Russell

Behaviors to Watch  Mating ◦ Flight patterns differ in courtship ◦ Males fly behind female ◦ Flutter wings more than usual aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

Behaviors to Watch  Egg Laying ◦ Female flying over plants ◦ Touches down quickly ◦ May drum on leaf surface with feet aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu

Creating a Butterfly Garden  Host Plants ◦ Group flowers of similar color together ◦ Select nectar producing plants ◦ Provide flowers that bloom throughout season ◦ More active mid to late summer

Cathy LeVahn

Creating a Butterfly Garden  Host Plants (continued) ◦ Supplement with home-made feeders ◦ Must provide for caterpillars  Milkweed  Butterfly weed  Dill  Parsley  Nettles

USDA Forest Service

Creating a Butterfly Garden  Habitat ◦ Shelter (protection)  Lay eggs  Predators  Wind ◦ Don’t plant near birdhouses or feeders

Creating a Butterfly Garden  Habitat ◦ Water Source  Wet Sand  Mud Puddle i.ehow.com

picasaweb.google.com

Creating a Butterfly Garden  Eliminate the use of pesticides ◦ Kills larvae and butterflies ◦ Kills beneficial insects ◦ Kills birds  Use oils, soaps and microbial insecticides only if necessary

Cathy LeVahn Enjoy References: Butterfly Gardening Vera Krischikis an assistant professor, Department of Entomology and an extension specialist, Minnesota Extension Service. She is also the director of the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability, University of Minnesota National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Butterflies, Pyle

References - Links Butterfly Gardening; Krischik, Vera Tall Garden Phlox for Minnesota Gardens; Brown, Deb Sunflowers; MacKenzie, Jill