Transcript Landscaping for Butterflies

Landscaping for Wildlife
Attracting Butterflies to your Backyard
Photo by Peter Fox
Monarch Butterflies
Attracting Butterflies
• Basic Biology
• Requirements
•Food
•Cover
•Water
• Florida Species
Photo by Joe Schaefer,
American Painted Lady
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)
• Adult
Photo by Jaret C. Daniels,
Swallowtail
Photo by Joe Zebra
Schaefer,
Zebra Swallowtail
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