Who doesn’t love to
see dainty, colorful butterflies in their garden? But of course,
they’re more than cute and fun to watch, they are important
pollinators! Here’s a quick review on ways to make your garden
Butterfly-friendly.
First thing, don’t use pesticides, for obvious reasons!
Secondly, embrace the caterpillar...not literally, but remember it’s
the caterpillar that becomes the Butterfly. So we need to provide
plants that supply food and shelter for the larvae, and we can’t get
too upset when they chomp through a few leaves. Just put a few of the
host plants in with other perennials to hide the nibbled foliage. The Butterfly Life website let’s you
search by state to see what types of Butterflies live in your area. You
can then find out which host plants they prefer. Many types of Grasses are enjoyed by Butterfly
caterpillars, as are trees like Willow and Oak. Passion Flower vines, Ceanothus and Artemisia are a few more favorites.
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