Landscaping for Wildlife

Attracting Butterflies to your Backyard

Photo by Peter Fox

Monarch Butterflies
 Attracting Butterflies

• Basic Biology
• Requirements
•Food
•Cover
•Water Photo by Joe Schaefer,
American Painted Lady

• Florida Species
 Basic Biology

• Insect

• Life Cycle

• Migration

• Moths, Butterflies, Skippers

 Insect

• Lepidoptera
• Segmented body
•Head
•Thorax
•Abdomen
Eastern Tailed Blue
Photo by Jaret C. Daniels
 Life Cycle

• Egg

•Larvae
(caterpillar)

• Pupae
(chrysalis) Photo by Jaret C. Daniels, Zebra
Swallowtail
Photo by Joe Schaefer, Zebra Swallowtail

• Adult Photo by Jaret C. Daniels, Zebra

Swallowtail
 Eggs

• 2-4 mm diameter

• Tough shell

• Female lays
many eggs

• Laid on larvae
food plant
 Larvae (Caterpillar)

• Principle feeding stage

• Chewing mouth parts

• Molt several times

• “False legs”
Photo by Joe Schaefer,
Gulf Fritillary

• Distinctive color,
pattern, shape
Photo by Joe Schaefer,
Zebra Swallowtail
 Pupae (Chrysalis)

Photo by Joe Schaefer Photo by Joe Schaefer

• Leave host plant in search of shelter

• Anchor themselves with silk

• Last molt into chrysalis

 Adult Stage

• Primary function
to mate &
lay eggs

• No growth
Dainty Sulphur

• Coiled proboscis
for sipping nectar
Schaus Swallowtail
Photos by Jaret C. Daniels
Migration
Photo by Peter Fox, Monarch butterflies
 Migration
• The movement from
one region to another

• Butterflies migrate
into FL during the fall

• Tropical species will

migrate to north FL

• Females lay eggs

along the way
Photo by Peter Fox, Monarch butterflies
 Moths, Butterflies, Skippers
• Butterflies
have clubbed
antennae

• Skippers have
curved
antennae

• Moths have
feathered or
plumose
antennae
Requirements for Creating
your own Butterfly Garden

• FOOD

• COVER

• WATER
 Food

• Specific host plants for caterpillars

• Nectar producing flowers for adults

• Plant native Florida vegetation

 Cover
• Groupings of ground cover, shrubs,
bushes, and small trees

• Both food and cover can be provided

at the same time

• Butterfly boxes are not used by

butterflies
Water

• Shallow water
dishes with
rocks, sand

• “Puddling”
Florida Species
 Monarch
• Bright orange with black borders and veins,
white spots

• Adults attracted to Milkweed flowers

• Caterpillars feed on leaves, flowers, and stems

of white vine, strangler vine, milkweeds

Photo by Peter Fox Photo by Jaret C. Daniels

 American Painted Lady

• Orange-brown with
dark borders on
upper side

• Underside with two

large eyespots

• Attract by planting
vegetation from
the Aster family
Photos by Jaret C. Daniels
 Zebra Longwings
• Upper side Black
with yellow
stripes; under
side duller
• Long and narrow
wings
• Host plants include
Passionflower
vines
• This is our state
butterfly! Photos by Jaret C. Daniels
 Viceroy
• Black line across hind wings
distinguishes it from the Monarch
• Mimics the Monarch
• Caterpillar feeds on trees and shrubs
of the willow family

Photos by Jaret C. Daniels

 Tiger Swallowtail
• Large butterfly with
black borders and
stripes

• The female also

comes in a dark
form

•Host plants include:

Olive, Magnolia,
and Rose families

Photos by Jaret C. Daniels

 Summary
• What is a butterfly?
• Requirements
FOOD
COVER
WATER
• Florida Butterflies
 For More Information

Visit the University of Florida’s

Wildlife Extension Website at:
http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension
 Acknowledgements
Developed by:
Anamari Mena and Dr. Mark Hostetler,
Department of Wildlife
Ecology and Conservation, IFAS,
University of Florida, 2001.

Photo Credits:
Jaret C. Daniels, University of Florida,
Entomology and Nematology Department
Joe Schaefer
Peter Fox
Anamari Mena