Find out how to attract butterflies with the right plants, water sources, and shelter.
Blaine Moats
Its incredibly exciting to see butterflies with their colorful wings flitting around your garden.
In return,these dazzling pollinatorswill boost the productivity of your garden and delight you with their vibrant presence.
Credit:Blaine Moats
Plant Native Plants
To turn your yard into a butterfly haven, start byplanting native plants.
These garden superstars attract more butterflies than non-native ornamentals because theyve evolved alongside the butterflies.
Additionally, plant flowers in groups rather than scattering them individually.
Credit:Andy Lyons
Andy Lyons
2.
In addition to providing nectar, some annuals also support caterpillars.
For example, some swallowtail butterflies, particularly the black swallowtail, use plants in theparsley familyas host plants.
Credit:Jay Wilde
When integrating shelter into your yard, elect for native species.
Clumping grasses likelittle bluestemandswitchgrassprovide low-level cover.
Jay Wilde
4.
Creating a butterfly puddle in your garden is an easy DIY project.
you’re free to even add a few flat rocks for perching spots.
Avoid Pesticides
If you want to attract and support butterflies in your garden, ditch pesticides.
Instead of applying chemicals, embrace natural pest management.
Physical barriers, such asrow covers, can also prevent pests from reaching your plants.
Provide Overwintering Habitat
To support butterflies year-round, it’s important to think beyond summer.
Leaving some areas of your yard a little wild can create overwintering habitat for butterflies.
Swallowtails overwinter in chrysalises attached to dried plant stems or tucked amongst leaf litter.
Fritillary caterpillars burrow in leaf litter at the base of their host plants.
Adult morning cloaks hibernate in cracks in tree bark, wood piles, or leaf litter.
Then, in the spring,delay your garden cleanupto allow overwintering butterflies time to emerge safely.
This way, your garden can continue to be a thriving sanctuary for butterflies throughout the year.
