Attracting Butterflies to Your

Central Backyard

By Sharon LaPlante, Hernando Chapter FNPS

Attracting butterflies to your backyard is a very Florida rewarding experience and is quite possibly easier than you think. This is because the plants that are an Asclepia tuberosa integral part of a butterfly’s life cycle are all around is (Butterfly milkweed) Symphyotrichum carolinianum in nature and in our landscape. Butterflies require (Climbing aster) two entirely different types of plants to complete Bidens alba (Spanish needles) their life cycle. The food requirements of adult corymbosis (Paintbrush) butterflies are different than those of their young. Cirsium spp. (Thistle) Flower nectar is the preferred food choice of most Elephantopus elatus (Elephant’s foot) adult butterflies. When planting nectar flowers keep Erythrina herbacea (Coral bean) in mind that adult butterflies need sunlight in order Gaillardia pulchella (Blanket flower) to warm their wings; therefore, place the majority of heterophylla (Garberia) nectar plants in a sunny location. It is also important Glandularia tampensis (Tampa vervain) to plan your landscape to provide blooms Hamelia patens (Firebush) Ipomoea cordatotriloba (Morning glory) throughout the year to ensure a continuous supply Ipomoea hederifolia (Scarlet morning glory) of nectar. Female butterflies taste a variety of plants spp. (Blazing star) in order to locate the proper food source for their Lonicera sempervirens (Coral honeysuckle) young, and once the correct host is located will Prunus spp. (Wild plum and wild cherry) typically lay their eggs on the new growth. Each type Ruellia caroliniensis (Wild petunia) of butterfly uses a particular plant or family of plants Salvia coccinea (Tropical sage) to nourish its young and will on ly lay eggs on those Salvia lyrata (Lyre- sage) plants. In order to attract the largest variety of Stokesia laevis (Stokes’ aster) butterflies, grow an abundance and variety of nectar Verbesina virginica (Frostweed) and larval food plants in several locations throughout Vernonia gigantea (Ironweed) your landscape. Caterpillars feed continuously and Florida Butterfly Facts voraciously for a few weeks until they have completed several molts (or instars) and are mature  The giant swallowtail’s wingspan can reach up to 5 enough to pupate. Most then move away from the inches, making it our largest butterfly. host plant and search for a limb or twig on which to  The eastern pygmy blue is approximately ½-inch in size, perform this last stage in their life. However, some making it our smallest butterfly. butterflies pupate in leaf litter. The last molt will  Butterflies live an average of 2 to 4 weeks.  develop into a very hard outer case called a chrysalis Monarch butterflies can live up to 8 months.  Butterflies taste with sensory receptors on their feet. wherein metamorphosis takes place, and in  The polydamas swallowtail doesn’t have tails. approximately two weeks an adult butterfly will  Butterflies drink from mud puddles and water droplets. emerge. The most crucial caveat for butterfly  There are over 160 species of butterflies in Florida. gardeners is do not use pesticides.  A butterfly’s tongue is 3 times longer than its body.

Caterpillar Food Sources BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES If you plant it, they will come… So don’t be alarmed American painted lady –cudweed (Gnaphalium spp.) when it is eaten. It will grow back! Buckeye –blueheart (Buchnera americana), toadflax SWALLOWTAILS (Linaria canadensis), false foxglove (Agalinis) Black swallowtail – wild chervil (Chaerophyllum), wild Gulf fritillary – yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea), carrot (Daucus), bishop’s weed (Ptilimnium capillaceum) maypop (P. incarnata), corky-stem passionvine (P. suberosa) Giant swallowtail – hoptree (Ptelea), Hercules’ club (Xanthoxylum clava-herculis), prickly ash (Xanthoxylum Phaeon crescent – carpetweed (Lippia nodiflora) americanum) Question mark – elm (Ulmus), hackberry (Celtis laevigata) Palamedes swallowtail – bay trees (Persea), spicebush Red Admiral – false nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica), (Lindera benzoin), pond spice (Litsea aestivalis) burning nettle (Urtica urens), pellitory (Parietaria) Pipevine swallowtail – pipevines (Aristolochia) Red-spotted purple – coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana) Polydamas swallowtail – pipevines (Aristolochia) Variegated fritillary – passionvines (Passiflora), violets Spicebush swallowtail – bay trees (Persea), spicebush (Viola) (Lindera benzoin), pond spice (Litsea aestivalis) Viceroy – coastal plain willow (Salix caroliniana) Tiger swallowtail – ash (Fraxinus), tulip tree White peacock – water hyssop (Bacopa) (Liriodendrum tulipiferum), sweet bay (Magnolia Zebra – yellow passionflower (Passiflora lutea), maypop virginiana) (P. incarnata), corky-stem passionvine (P. suberosa) Zebra swallowtail – pawpaws (Asimina) BRUSH-FOOTED BUTTERFLIES WHITES Hackberry – elm (Ulmus), hackberry (Celtis laevigata) Checkered white – peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) Tawny emperor – elm (Ulmus), hackberry (Celtis laevigata) European cabbage white – peppergrass (Lepidium MILKWEED BUTTERFLIES virginicum) Monarch – milkweeds (Asclepias), white vine Great southern white – saltwort (Batis maritima), sea (Sarcostemma) rocket (Cakile), peppergrass (Lepidium virginicum) Queen – milkweeds (Asclepias), white vine SULPHURS (Sarcostemma) Barred sulphur – joint vetch (Aeschynomene), pencil Soldier – milkweeds (Asclepias), white vine flower (Stylosanthus) (Sarcostemma) Cloudless sulphur – partridge pea (Chamaecrista), SATYRS cassia (Senna) Carolina satyr – grasses (Poaceae) such as wood oats Dainty sulphur – Spanish needles (Bidens alba) SNOUT BUTTERFLY BLUES Snout butterfly – elm (Ulmus), hackberry (Celtis laevigata) Cassius blue – milk pea (Galactia), wild plumbago SKIPPERS (partial list) (Plumbago scandens) Giant yucca skipper – yucca (Yucca) Ceraunus blue – alicia (Chapmannia floridana) Long-tailed skipper – beggarweed (Desmodium incanum) Eastern pygmy blue – glasswort (Salicornia), saltwort (Batis) HAIRSTREAKS *Consult a field guide to learn more about the butterflies in our area Gray hairstreak – partridge pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata)

Great purple hairstreak – mistletoe (Poradendron serotinum) Red-banded hairstreak – (Quercus) White M hairstreak – oaks (Quercus)

Glassberg, J., Marc Minno, & John Calhoun. Butterflies Through Binoculars: Florida Oxford University Pres 2000 Minno, Marc & Maria, Florida Butterfly Gardening. University Press of Florida: Gainesville, FL. 1999.