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Butterflies of Orange County Gardens
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BUTTERFLY GARDENING
By Ron Vanderhoff
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A butterfly garden is an easy way to both see more butterflies and to contribute towards their conservation, since many natural habitats have been lost to urbanization and other development. It is easy to increase the number and variety of butterflies in your yard. Simply grow the plants that butterfly caterpillars like to eat, and plants that adult butterflies feed on!
SOME GENERAL NOTES
Beware of many of the Butterfly lists that are often found in magazines and books. Butterflies are very regional creatures. What works in coastal Orange County may not work at all just 50 miles away.
Your butterfly garden can be any size - a window box, part of your landscaped yard, or even a wild area on your property.
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BUTTERFLIES
We have attached a rather comprehensive chart of plants that adult butterflies are attracted to as well as several larval food plants. Plants with varying blooming cycles can be placed together to keep your garden full of activity throughout the growing season.
Learn the common butterfly species in your vicinity and include both their adult nectar plants and caterpillar food plants in the garden. Adult butterflies will visit for a longer period if they find plants to lay their eggs on.
Butterflies are easy and fun to watch, so make sure you also plan a good place to watch the butterflies visiting your garden. They have many interesting behaviors you will want to observe. For example, after rain you might see them "puddling," or sucking fluids from wet soil to obtain water and salts. On cool sunny mornings, they may bask on a rock to warm their bodies before flight. Males can be territorial and chase other males away. Females often have elaborate routines for choosing where to lay their eggs. If during your observation you notice you are missing a species you’d really like to see, include its favorite plant in your garden next year!
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BRINGING BUTTERFLIES TO YOUR GARDEN
- Provide both nectar and food sources.
- Plant nectar-producing flowers that bloom in sequence.
- Plant a variety of nectar producing plants
- Use insecticides sparingly, if at all.
- Plant your flowers in sunny places.
- Learn which butterflies are likely to be in your garden.
- Provide a very shallow water pan.
- Enjoy a few nibbled leaves.
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