Benefits of Butterfly Gardening

Butterfly Gardening for Louisiana Benefits of Butterflies: 1. They are excellent pollinators. 2. Butterflies are indicators of the natural balance of our environment (changes in natural communities). 3. Butterfly habitats attract other wildlife and provide an excellent place for children to learn. Life Cycle: step1 Caterpillar step2 Chrysalis (pupa) step3 Butterfly (adult) The caterpillar forms a pupal case which becomes home. Fully grown butterflies require food to maintain their bodies. The caterpillar locates a plant as a nutritious food source and begins eating and growing. This is a resting period and there is no feeding at this time. Nectar provides sugars which are converted into energy. How to create a butterfly garden A butterfly garden may be a few containers of one or two butterfly attracting plants or a very sizable garden with many different species to attract butterflies. To create a "butterfly friendly" environment, there are a few simple requirements: food, water, shelter and a place to reproduce. TYPES OF PLANTSFORGARDEN Many plants can attract butterflies to a garden area. They can include annual and perennial flowers, deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs, vines and other material. Butterflies use many different species as hosts or nectar plants. Some butterflies are attracted to a wide range of plants. Others may be attracted to just one or two individual plant species. Listed below are common names of plants serving as hosts or nectar sources. To name a feue types of pants: Spring Summer Fall African marigold Annual salvia Annual sunflower Ageratum Anise hyssop Gazania, treasure flowers Black-eyed susan Blanket flower Joe-pye weed Johnny jump ups Pansy Cosmos Lantana French marigold Impatiens Sedum Ornamental cabbage Snapdragon Butterfly weed Pot Marigold, calendula Blue mist Butterfly weed Candlestick tree Verbena You LSU For the complete guide, please visit us at www.LSUAgcenter.com/publications AgCenter Restarco & Excension