1

Stephanie Lamb andSommer Chambers,

students, Department ofFisheries and Wildlife;

and Nancy Allen,Extension wildlife

instructor; OregonState University

EC 1549January 2002

$1.50

Create a Butterfly GardenS. Lamb, S. Chambers, and N. Allen

TheWildlifeGarden

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful, fragile animals in nature,sometimes called “flying flowers.” Butterflies and moths pollinateflowers, and both adults and larvae are an important food source forbirds, bats, and other wildlife. Nearly 700 kinds or species occur inNorth America. About 20 species commonly are found in the PacificNorthwest.

Attracting butterflies to your yard and garden is easy if you create ahabitat that meets the butterflies’ needs for growth and development.Butterfly larvae, or caterpillars, eat leaves. Adult butterflies feed onnectar from colorful, fragrant flowers. Putting in the right plants forboth of these increases your chances of attracting and keeping butterfliesin your garden. Suitable habitat also includes shelter from wind andrain, open sunny areas for basking, and mud puddles for waterand nutrients.

This publication describes the life cycle of butter-flies, how to design your garden to meet thespecific needs of butterflies, a list of someof the most common butterfly species inthe Pacific Northwest and their favoritefood sources, and a chart showing thedifferent times of year the adultbutterflies of each species areactive.

Life cycle

Butterflies undergo acomplete change or metamor-phosis through four different life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa(chrysalis), and adult. The development of a butterfly from egg to adultcan take from 3 weeks to several months, depending on the species andthe time of year.

Tiger swallowtail

2

Female butterflies lay eggs singly or inclusters on specific host plants. Usually, theylay their eggs on the undersides of the leaves,which provides protection from both preda-tors and weather.

Tiny caterpillars hatch from the eggs andspend all of their time eating leaves andgrowing. (Some caterpillars born late in thesummer overwinter in this stage and thenbegin eating in the spring.) When the caterpil-lar becomes too large for its skin, it molts, orsheds its skin. This occurs at least four times.

After the final molt, the caterpillarsearches for a twig or leaf to which it canattach itself. The caterpillar then forms anouter shell around its body, called a pupa orchrysalis. It usually takes 1 to 2 weeks for thepupa to develop. (Some pupae spend thewinter in this stage and emerge in the spring.)

During this stage, the transformationfrom caterpillar to adult butterfly is com-pleted. A newly formed butterfly emerges andflies away to look for a mate and continue thecycle. See Table 1 for the time of year toexpect adult butterflies.

Designing your garden

Protection from windA butterfly garden can be any size, but it

needs to be in a sunny, open area protectedfrom wind. Determine from which directionthe prevailing wind comes, and plant largershrubs, vines, or trees as a windbreak (Figure 1).The windbreak should protect from windwithout decreasing the amount of sunlight.

You already may have an effective borderarea in your yard. If you are going to plantadditional species, choose nectar-producingtrees, shrubs, and vines that provide both foodand protection. Pink or white viburnum,oceanspray, and rhododendron are excellentchoices for shrubs. A trellis or wall coveredwith honeysuckle or clematis makes an attrac-tive barrier. Nectar-producing trees includecottonwood, dogwood, cherry, apple, orplum.

Nectar plants for adult butterfliesAfter emerging, adult butterflies look for

sources of nectar (Table 2). Color, fragrance,size, and shape are all important characteristicsof the best nectar flowers.

Figure 1. An example of a butterfly garden design.

Taller shelter plants(trees and shrubs)

Nectar plants

Open, sunny area

3

Butterflies are nearsighted and areattracted to large patches of a particular typeof flower. If you want to attract a particularspecies, a large splash of brightly coloredflowers of one species is more effective thanseveral different colors or species mixedtogether. However, planting several kinds ofgood nectar-producing flowers usually attractsmore species of butterflies.

Table 1. Butterfly species and the time of year they are active.

Common Name Species April May June July August Sept.

Early spring speciesSara orangetip Anthocharis saraSpring azure Celastrina argioulus

Late spring/Early summer speciesSilvery blue Glaucopsyche lygdamusBrown elfin Callophrys augustusMourning cloak Nymphalis antiopaWestern oak dusky wing Erynnis propertius

Wide-ranging species (late spring through early fall)Cabbage white Pieris rapaeSatyr comma or Golden anglewing Polygonia satyrusRed admiral Vanessa atalantaMonarch Danaus plexxipusWestern tiger swallowtail Papilio rutulusWestern swallowtail Papilio zelicaonField crescent Phyciodes mylittaPainted lady Vanessa carduiAmerican painted lady Vanessa virginiensisWestern painted lady Vanessa caryeCommon ringlet Coenonympha tullia

Summer speciesClodius parnassian or American apollo Parnassius clodiusPale swallowtail Papilio eurymedonPurplish copper Lycaena helloides

Summer/Early fall speciesWoodland skipper Ochlodes sylvanoidesLorquin’s admiral Limenitis lorquiniLarge wood nymph Cercyonis pegalaGray hairstreak Strymon melinusOrange sulfur Colias eurythemePine white Neophasia menapiaCalifornia tortoiseshell Nymphalis californicaGreat spangled fritillary Speyeria cybele

Fragrance may be even more importantthan color for attracting butterflies. Manynectar-producing flowers, such as lavender,lilac, and honeysuckle, emit strong fragrancesto attract pollinators.

The size and shape of flowers is alsoimportant. Larger butterflies, such as swallow-tails, prefer to land on flowers with largecompact heads (“composites”) because they

4

Tabl

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ound

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and

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* M

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5

provide a platform for the butterflies to reston while feeding. Composites include asters,goldenrod, zinnia, marigolds, and yarrow.Other flower types that butterflies prefer havetightly packed clusters of flowers. Someexamples are lantana, honeysuckle, andmilkweed. For your butterfly garden, choose aselection of plants that blossom at differenttimes of year to provide nectar throughout thespring, summer, and fall.

Species that attract butterflies includenative and non-native plants (see Table 2).Plants that are native to the Pacific Northwestare recommended for several reasons. Nativeplant gardens are better adapted to the climateand, once established, may need less water andmaintenance. Butterflies recognize nativeplants more easily and often use them forfood, shelter, and reproductive sites.

Be careful not to plant species that aretoo aggressive and/or invasive, such as Englishivy. English ivy can out-compete all otherplants, including native plants, and limit thediversity of your garden habitat. It spreadsquickly to adjacent areas, climbing tree trunksand other vertical structures, and producesseeds that are carried by birds to other areas.

The popular, non-native butterfly bush(Buddlea davidii) is no longer recommendedfor planting, because it also is invasive. Alter-natives to butterfly bush are California lilac(Ceanothus thrysiflorus) or chastetree (Vitexagnus-castus), which have similar foliage andflowers.

Avoid ornamental flowering plants thathave been hybridized to produce showy or“double” flowers. Instead, choose the simple,old-fashioned varieties, because they are bettersources of nectar.

Host plants for caterpillarsAfter it hatches, the caterpillar spends

most of its time feeding on the host plants’leaves, which provide all of its nutritionalrequirements. Caterpillars are very particularabout their host plants. Many starve to deathif they cannot find the right plant. If youknow which food each species prefers, you canattract more species of butterflies (see Table 2).Putting in the right host plants near nectarplants encourages butterflies to remain in yourgarden from generation to generation.

Minerals and waterIn addition to nectar, butterflies need

minerals and water. Butterflies do not drinkfrom open water. They get the moisture andminerals they need from moist areas aroundwater. This is called “mud-puddling.”

You can create butterfly puddles with abucket or any non-toxic container that holdswater. Find a sunny spot that is out of thewind and near nectar plants. Bury the con-tainer in the ground, and fill it almost to thetop with wet sand. Place a few twigs or rockson top of the sand for perches.

Male butterflies require additionalsodium during the mating season. You cansupply it by occasionally adding a little salt toyour puddle. If you are concerned about catsor other predators, you can put wet sand in abirdbath or other elevated container.

Winter shelterA few butterfly species overwinter as

adults. Most species either spend the coldermonths in the larval stage or move to warmerlocations. To encourage adult butterflies tostay in your yard year-round, it is importantMourning cloak

6

to provide adequate shelter. Hibernatingadults or larvae may seek cover under leaflitter or mulch, in tree holes or cavities, in logpiles, under loose tree bark, in crevices of treetrunks and walls, or in a vacant shed.

A log pile is an excellent addition to anywildlife garden. It provides shelter for manysmall mammals and amphibians as well asbutterflies. Butterflies may use log piles forperching, roosting, and hibernation. See EC1542, Attract Reptiles and Amphibians to YourYard for instructions on how to build a logpile (“For more information,” page 7).

Some butterflies have taken shelter in tincoffee cans or empty birdhouses. The onlyrequirement is that there has to be a grippingsurface for them to cling to. Some retailersadvertise butterfly hibernation boxes, butthese do not attract butterflies.

Basking sitesButterflies are ectotherms, which means

they need the sun to warm their blood andflight muscles. A butterfly must have enoughsun exposure. Butterflies rarely take flightwhen temperatures are less than 60oF. Toencourage butterflies to be active in yourgarden, you need to maintain a large, open,sunny space, preferably in the center of thegarden. If this is not possible, any south-facingsite will work.

Also, butterflies enjoy basking sites.These can take many forms. Large, flat, light-colored rocks with high sun exposure are ideal,but butterflies also use brick walkways,cement, or gravel.

Roosting sitesButterflies spend more than half of their

day at rest (roosting). They search for a roostin the early afternoon and spend the nightthere. They also use the roost during cold orwet weather. An effective roost could be assimple as the underside of a leaf or a protectedpart of a bush. However, certain species might

have more specific preferences. If you offer awide range of shelter such as trees, shrubs, andpatches of overgrown grass, you provide moreroosting sites.

Maintaining your garden

In order to maintain healthy butterflyhabitat, do not use pesticides in your garden.Many pesticides not only kill the target insectspecies but also adversely affect all stages of abutterfly’s life cycle. Some alternatives topesticides include spot treating individualplants with organic oils or soaps, removingcaterpillars from leaves by hand, or simplyaccepting insects as a natural component of afunctioning garden. Also, the absence ofchemicals allows natural insect predatorpopulations, such as spiders and ladybugbeetles, to increase. These species prey uponunwanted garden insects.

Remember when you prune or clean updead plants and debris in your yard that therecould be adults or larvae using this as habitatfor roosting, pupating, or hibernating. If youfind a chrysalis while pruning, attach the twigand leaf to a lower branch with a clothespinand watch for the butterfly to emerge in thespring.

Try to leave some areas in your property“wild,” where grass and native, non-invasiveweeds can grow undisturbed.

Spring azure

7

Watching butterfliesButterflies are beautiful, fascinating

creatures. Children enjoy watching them andare fascinated with their stages of metamor-phosis. Providing butterfly habitat in youryard is a great way to expose children to thewonders of nature.

Butterflies are easy to see during a warm,sunny day. Early in the morning, they arelikely to be found basking in an open, sunnyarea. Later in the morning or early afternoon,most butterflies forage for food and fly aroundnectar-producing flowers. You also can seethem around puddles or wet areas at this time.

You might be able to approach butterfliesif you are slow and cautious. However, theyare easily frightened. It is important not toapproach butterflies from above, as they mightview you as a predator.

Many people enjoy keeping a journal ofthe different species that visit their garden andthe time of year they arrive. Butterflies also areexcellent subjects for photographers. Onceyour butterfly garden is complete, sit back,enjoy the beauty you have created, and watchthe treasures unfold.

For more information

OSU Extension publicationsSee these other publications in The

Wildlife Garden set:Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden,

EC 1541 (2002). $1.50

Attract Reptiles and Amphibians to Your Yard,EC 1542 (2002). $2.00

Create a Garden Pond for Wildlife, EC 1548(2002). $1.50

To order copies of these publications,send the complete title and series number,along with a check or money order for theamount listed (payable to Oregon StateUniversity), to:

Publication OrdersExtension & Station CommunicationsOregon State University422 Kerr AdministrationCorvallis, OR 97331-2119(Fax: 541-737-0817)We offer discounts on orders of 100 or

more copies of a single title. Please call541-737-2513 for price quotes.

World Wide WebYou can access our Publications and

Videos catalog and many of our publicationson the Web at eesc.orst.edu

Other publicationsDennis, John V. and Mathew Tekulsky. 1991.

How to Attract Hummingbirds andButterflies. New York: Monsanto Com-pany.

Link, Russell. 1999. Landscaping for Wildlifein the Pacific Northwest. University ofWashington Press (Seattle & London) inassociation with the Washington Depart-ment of Fish and Wildlife.

Logsdon, Gene. 1983. Wildlife in Your Gar-den. Pennsylvania: Rodale Press.

Rothschild, Miriam and Clive Farrell. 1983.The Butterfly Gardener. New York:Michael Joseph Ltd.

Monarch

© 2002 Oregon State University

This publication was produced and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30,1914. Extension work is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U.S. Department of Agriculture,and Oregon counties.

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Published January 2002