Unearthing Your Green Thumb
Butterflies
These are usually the stuff of lazy summer days, colorful wings flitting about the colorful flowers on a quest for nectar. Or to find a mate during a very brief life span. And then a place to lay eggs.
But fall is really the best time to prep and plan for the following year of these ephemeral creatures.
Many of the plants vital to these insects’ survival and procreation are perennials, and the waning days of summer and onset of autumn are the best for planting their mainstay.
Don’t let shortening days and cooler temperatures deter you (actually, the cooler temperatures ought to encourage you). And with most perennials, don’t be discouraged if — after proper planting and establishment — they go into their death mode in a couple of months. This is called dormancy. While the tops wither, the roots are still going strong. Next spring, and the next, and the next, the plants will emerge with fresh growth.
First you need to choose a good spot for the plants in your butterfly garden.
Keep in mind that while nectar plants (i.e. flowers) are beautiful, the larval plants (i.e. the ones the caterpillars eat) are often chewed down to a nub. Milkweed plants, which serve as both nectar for adults and food source of larvae of monarchs, can literally disappear overnight once the hungry critters — described as stomachs with a mouth — get ahold of them. Don’t despair; milkweed is very resilient.
Many butterflies like bright, sunny spots. So plant your garden in a bright, sunny spot if you want to attract flamboyant American Lady, the relatively huge Eastern Black Swallowtail or smallish Gray Hairstreaks. If you have a semi-shady location, you will most likely be able to attract Florida’s official butterfly, the Zebra Longwing, as well as the Tawny Emperor, which looks more like a moth than a butterfly.
A new publication series from the Florida Museum of Natural History, written by University of Florida entomologist Jaret Daniels in cooperation with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, allows neophyte butterfly enthusiasts — including schoolchildren — to learn how to grow, watch and appreciate these Lepidoptera species.
This four-booklet package contains: “50 Common Butterflies of Florida,” which includes colorful field identification tips of both adults and larvae (the latter is quite important; not all caterpillars are bad guys); “Butterfly Watching Basics,” where to look and how to identify them, including a cool primer on wing shapes; “Florida Butterfly Gardening,” which covers pretty much the basics on how to incorporate the basic plants in your landscape scheme; and “Checklist of Florida Butterflies,” a way to keep track of your observations, kinda like an Audubon life-list.
Some tips on Florida butterfly gardening include:
Provide a mix of flat and tubular flowers; butterflies have preferences on what kind of platform they like. Some hover; some alight. High and low growth patterns make for an eye-catching pattern. Masses of the same color are attractive to both people and butterflies.
Right plant for right place. Sun-lovers in the sun; shade-lovers in the shade. Healthy plants provide the best food/shelter/egg-laying scenarios. Read labels for climate requirements. Be particular about hardiness; Gainesville is zone 8b.
If at all possible, go for native plants. Native plants are best for native butterflies. Some butterflies are very specific where their progeny hatch and begin feeding. Maypop (passion flower) is preferred by Zebra Longwing and Gulf and Variegated Fritillary; wild lime is a magnet for Giant Swallowtail (which will place eggs on other citrus, as well). Morningside Nature Center and the Paynes Prairie chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society hold two native plant sales each year, spring and fall. The fall sale is set for Oct. 3-4 and, as usual, promises a plethora of native plants for all uses. Check out details by calling 352-334-3326.
Avoid or discontinue all pesticides. This a no-brainer. Even using the organic Bacillus thurengiensis (also known as Bt, Thuricide or Dipel) to dispatch your tomato hornworms will also eliminate butterfly larvae.
For more information on what to grow, when and where, visit these sites and/or books:
http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/butterflies/
http://www.floridayards.org/landscape/FYN-handbook.pdf
“Florida Caterpillars and Their Host Plants,” by Marc Minno, Jerry Butler, Donald W. Hall; University Press of Florida
Minno, of Gainesville, is a senior regulatory scientist with the St. Johns Water Management District in Palatka; Butler is professor emeritus of entomology at UF; Hall is professor of entomology at UF.
“Florida Butterfly Gardening,” by Marc and Maria Minno; University Press of Florida
Maria Minno is an environmental consultant.
“Butterfly Gardening: Creating a Butterfly Haven in Your Garden,” by Thomas C. Emmel, Friedman/Fairfax Publishers.
Emmel is professor of zoology and entomology at UF since 1968.
Marina Blomberg is a freelance writer who has lived and gardened in Gainesville since 1972. She may be contacted through the editor: editor@towerpublications.com
