Attracting Butterflies

4 Jun '06 10:07 am

Hi, everyone! Another newbie here, and I not only love this site, but I can meet people from around the world! The only problem is, whenever I've found someone who's trying to find the identity of a plant, tons of other people have aleady identified it, and correctly, not just their Latin names but common names. I'm from Minnesota, in the USA, and if anyone's ever told you that it's always cold in Minnesota, they've definitely never spent a summer here, particularly in the southern half or midway down. Right now it's still spring, and we've had 97 degrees with lots of humidity.

I've found that the hardiest gardens consist of flowers that are native to a region or state; wildflowers, in general. Not only do they help keep weeds from spreading, but they seem to best attract butterflies.

As one of my hobbies, I do research and write online articles, and you may be interested in reading my one about "How to Attract Butterflies," because not only do I relate what I do in my garden, but so much that I learned applies to butterflies around the world. It includes details on which plants attract which butterflies (with descriptions to identify both), other "goodies" you can provide for butterflies, links to great pictures of them, a bit about the inbuilt defenses some have against their predators, and why butterflies are becoming endangered.

I hate to impose, but I'd be so grateful if you like the article, if you would rate it at the top, where it has options 1-5. (But for sure don't click on either the thumbs up or thumbs down, by the comments at the bottom of the page, because people think they're helping me, and instead all this does is delete points from my ratings.)

I'd love to hear about your experiences with attracting butterflies, too. There's so much out there to see and learn. Meanwhile, hope you find your gardens to be as much an escape from the constant rush in life as I do. The idea of time seems to disappear, even if I'm just pulling weeds! All my best, Darlene

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/32344/how_to_attract_butterflies_in_the_city.html

4 Jun '06 11:47 am

Would love it if you have some pix you could post. I love the bees and butterflies that visit my garden, and definitely no harmful sprays are allowed. When I was n London recently there was a big drive to Save the British Bumble Bee. The littlest things in a garden system are so often overlooked, and I started trying to match the visitng bees with their pictures. They were pretty interested in the Lavender growing on the rooftop garden.
Welcome to the forum, Naturedar, and look forward to hearing back from you. Hey - I clicked on your article, which was great - 5/5!!!!!!
Cheers

5 Jun '06 12:15 pm

Thank you so much for the welcome; you truly made me feel welcome! And I'm so glad you liked my article; thanks for the rating! Razz

I have a blogging friend who lives in England, and she's always writing about what's happening there. I'll have to tell her about your visit to London, when they had the drive to Save the British Bumble Bee. She'll be thrilled.

Have you taken any pictures of the bees that have visited your garden? (I'm envious; it's fantastic.)I scanned some of my flower pictures and put them in jpg's. Now to figure out how to put them on here. I'm in no way technologically-minded! Ahhhhh! Here goes...

5 Jun '06 4:59 pm

Do you know the 'proper' name for these flowers? I don't thnk I've seen them before - are they a Minnesota flower? Or maybe I'm just not looking, and everyone else but me has met them!

5 Jun '06 10:55 pm

I am also in love with this plant! Adorable orange flowers! It becomes about 1m tall, a sun lover, extra good draining conditions, supports the dry weather and hot spells! A perfect frost hardy perennial!

Congratulations for your garden, Darlene! And welcome!

6 Jun '06 12:19 am

Moosey and Liza, thank you! Yes, Liza, you're correct! (I don't know if it grows in Europe, and don't know if it's safe to introduce it. Do you know, Liza?) Actually, it grows anywhere from 1 inch to 3 inches tall, depending on conditions. It's a member of the milkweed family, and although milkweeds are poisonous to most animals, Monarch butterflies (which winter over in Mexico), need the leaves in their caterpillar stage to survive. Monarch caterpillars and butterflies thus become toxic to their predators. And butterflies that have the same coloration as Monarchs are thus avoided by birds and other predators.

The flowers trap insect polinators (such as your bees, Moosey), which slip into the "horns" on the flowers. When the insects escape, they carry bags of pollen out with them, which they then carry to the next plant. They slip in again, and end up leaving the pollen from the first. I love the way these things work!

Liza, did you by chance read my online article about attracting butterflies? http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/32344/how_to_attract_butterflies_in_the_city.html
You may be interested in it...

I can't believe how many times I had to try before I could get any butterfly weeds to establish themselves in my yard! But I persisted, and so did they, and we prevailed. I'm so thrilled. I dug them up from "construction" areas in the country; land was being torn up for new buildings, and the area where I rescued them from is now covered by a cement parking lot!

6 Jun '06 10:01 pm

Dear Darlene,

I did read your article, and I'm happy that someone in our Forum is really interested on this subject!

I have some Monarch butterflies in our garden and I noticed even a tiny turqoise last Summer, and I was stunned!! I was weeding at the moment , and became motionless, in full admiration, in order not to bother her! My cats, although being old ladies , play with butterflies like kittens, without! catching any, of course!

But, tell me, what is the botanical name of the "milk weed" plant ?? I wonder, if I have any in my garden and I also destroy them..

I fell in love with Asclepias , when I discovered her in our local nursery as a tuber (= tuberosa), with just a huge photo of her orange lovely blooms. I ran home, opened my huge plant book, and discovered she was the only frost hardy one , having orange blooms, in her family! I went back to the nursery, bought two of them, and they are coming by now, having formed some basal, beautiful tiny leaves! I am so happy! And the fact that she is called "Butterfly Weed " in her common name, made me even more happy I addopted her! Thank you, Darlene!

7 Jun '06 12:15 am

So glad you liked my article! Thanks!

Common Milkweed is asclepias syriaca, and if you ever see Swamp Milkweed (flowers are a deeper pink than on the common ones), it's asclepias incarnata.

Wow, I never knew for sure if Monarch butterflies went to Europe. Amazing to know they do. I know they're prolific in North America before they head back to Mexico, although they don't go to South America, from what I heard. But the fact that you got a turquoise, Wow! I do the same thing when I see butterflies--try to sneak up so quietly, holding my breath, until I'm close enough to get a better view, then stand there mesmerized. Sometimes I'll have my binoculars nearby, because I'm really into attracting birds, too, so when I can zoom in on a butterfly, it's fantastic (if I can ever get the darned things to get over fast enough to where the subject is--bird, bee, butterfly--before it's too late. It's so frustrating when you want to focus in on something fast, and binoculars have that way of going all over, so you have to find a specific tree or post or something to look for before you can further search for what you wanted to see in the first place!).

From what I've noticed, when milkweeds first start growing, when they're about 4 inches off the ground, their leaves are tightly wrapped around the stem, and they're fairly dark green. Once they're larger, the stalks are very sturdy. I'll try to find a good site where there's a picture of them, hopefully in various stages, when I get home from work, so I can show it to you.

Hah! I do the same thing when I discover a new plant that intrigues me--run to the old reliable plant book, usually go to some of my others too, for backup. (Same with birds.) I'm so thrilled your butterfly weed is flourishing! Can't wait until yours and mine are flowering. I'll bet anything that so many plants were originally named with "weed" in their names just because they grow in prairies, or on country roads--anywhere where there are harsh conditions, compared with those that are more cultivated. So many of these plants were used for medicinal purposes long ago.

As for your "adopting" yours, I'm the same way. Believe it or not, whenever I'm bringing a new plant home, whether it's one I rescued from the middle of a road or bought at a nursery, I actually tell the plant I'm bringing it to its new home. Some people would never understand how our minds work. Wink

Bye for now. Darlene

7 Jun '06 11:38 pm

Welcome to the boards, Dar!

I'm from Iowa.... We're practically neighbors! And I know what you mena about people thinking its always cold in Minnesota.... just like alot of people think we grow potatoes in Iowa! LOL.

I attrack all kinds of butterflies, honey bees, bumble bees... and all sorts of creatures to my garden. For me, its part of the fun of gardening, and its a measure of success as well. If my garden had no wildlife in it, I'd be wondering what I'd done wrong! Kevin doesn't always feel the same.... Especially when it come to Henry. "Henry" is a garter snake, about 30" long and has lived under the rocks of my waterfall for about 2 years. Kevin would kill him if I'd let him.... h'es such a sissy when it comes to snakes! Rolling Eyes

This year I even had a mother bunny nesting under my Creeping Phlox. She started with 3 baby bunnies.... one had an unfortunate accident involving my pond. The other two.... well, I can't prove it, but I think the neighbor's obnoxxious feline... which they refurse to keep contained... got them.

Anyway, that animal is another subject entirely.... How about I share a few photos from last year instead....

8 Jun '06 12:18 am

Oh, oh, oh my! I love your photos! And thanks for the welcome! So it's "the deep tundra" and "potato country." Laughing

Isn't that the truth? My daughter graduated from Drake U., so Mark and I made many a trip down there; ate lots of food in W. Des Moines, and it was delicious! I fell in love with the pork chops at the Macaroni Grill, so was so glad when they opened several here.

I agree, what's the use of having a garden if it didn't become a haven for wildlife? Kind of cool; we've created a habitat (I consider it a sanctuary for all critters; insects, birds, etc.) in our own yards. Unlike Kevin, I'd be honored if a garter snake chose to live there. Smile

I think that butterfly is a female Tiger Swallowtail, but not absolutely sure because you may get more varieties of Swallowtails down there than we do. By the way, did you know their tails are a defensive protection? If a bird chomps down on their tail, the tail comes off and the butterfly is free to escape. I think that's so cool!

Great shot of the Hummingbird Moth (hemaris thysbe), too! Aren't they fantastic? And big... first time I saw one I was at some botanical gardens and had to ask everyone what it was, I was so thrilled.

Hey, did you by chance get a chance to read my article? http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/32344/how_to_attract_butterflies_in_the_city.html
If you haven't, I'd be so grateful if you do, and like it, if you'd rate it at the top, where it has options 1-5. (But don't click on the thumbs up OR down on the bottom by the comments--I lose points either way, and I'm trying to establish a rapport over there.)

Your close-up of the Cone Flower, Daisy, Ferns, and Monarch Butterfly is a winner, by the way. Thanks so much for all the pix; it's a joy looking at them. (Don't suppose you could get a shot of Henry?) Super glad to meet you, neighbor! Dar

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