Which "Hosts" Will YOUR Butterflies Prefer?

A frequent question I am asked by folks who want to create a beautiful butterfly garden is: "Which flowers should I plant that will attract many different kinds of butterflies to lay their eggs in my garden?"

Before I can answer that question appropriately, I must always pose this cardinal question first: "What species of butterflies are indigenous to the area in which you live?"

You may be wondering why I need to ask this pivotal question. After all, don't ALL butterflies -- despite their various species, colors, shapes, or sizes -- lay their eggs on ANY or ALL varieties of flowers that bloom? The answer is a resounding, "NO!" For you see, there is a much more vital factor that comes into play besides growing nectar-rich flowers that will only satisfy a butterfly's sweet tooth, but that won't encourage them to lay their eggs there.

So, what is the appropriate answer? What kinds of flowers or plants should aspiring or dedicated butterfly gardeners plant to attract "flying flowers" to lay eggs in their gardens?

It all goes back to the four mysterious life stages of the butterfly: the egg, the caterpillar (larva), the pupa (chrysalis), and finally, the exquisite adult butterfly. Each of these four stages is dependent upon a distinctive set of criteria for the ultimate survival of its species.

It's my undaunted personal belief that both male and female adult butterflies were created first. They were then instructed by their Creator [God] to ". . . go forth and multiply." Following mating, their fertilized eggs entered the scene, which brings us to the crux of this butterfly gardening article: "Which Host Plants Will Your Butterflies Prefer?"

Do you suppose there were milkweeds in the beautiful Garden of Eden to satisfy those voracious Monarch caterpillars that hatched from those fertile eggs? I'm quite certain there must have been. Otherwise, this beautiful species would likely not be around to grace our gardens today!

To bring all of the above into a proper perspective, let's discuss first things first: The importance of planting appropriate host plants for butterflies in YOUR area.

Educate Yourself about the Species in Your Area!

If you want to become a "true-blue" and successful butterfly gardener, your initial task is to educate yourself about which butterfly species are native to your area. Learning which species reside your region versus those that prefer to reside way across the country from you is much more critical than you may think.

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