Attracting Butterflies to your Native Garden

1. Full sun from 10am until 3pm are peak hours for butterfly activity. 80 degrees for optimum flight.
2. Flat stones for sun basking.
3. Shallow puddle or pan of water.
4. Butterflies are most abundant from mid-June through September and it is important to have flowers in bloom the whole season for nectar.
5. It is important to have host plants for their larvae.
6. Colors preferred by butterflies are purple, pink, yellow, orange and white.

Nectar Plants

1. Milkweeds are favored by fritillaries and swallowtails.
2. Purple Coneflower attract many species, including Red Admiral, Painted Lady, Tiger Swallowtails, and Fritillaries.
3. Monarda and Blazing Star are a butterfly favorite.
4. Orange Coneflower appeal to Swallowtails, Sulfers, Monarchs, Red Admirals, Painted Ladys, and Viceroys.
5. Joe Pye, Goldenrods, Asters are very popular attracting many butterflies.

Host Plants

1. Butterfly Weed and all Milkweeds are necessary for the larvae of Monarchs and theMilkweed Tussock Moth to survive.
2. Golden Alexanders are a host plant for the Black Swallowtail.
3. Don’t forget about shrubs as host plants. Paw Paw hosts the Zebra Swallowtail. Spice Bush hosts the Spice Bush Swallowtail.  Wafer Ash hosts the Giant Swallowtail.