Day 3 of Spring Garden Show 2018: Creating a Butterfly Habitat

Saturday, 4.28.18

At 4:30 pm, I checked out a seminar about creating a butterfly habitat in your garden. It is first important to know butterflies’ needs and requirements before designing a comfy habitat that they will enjoy. Check out your backyard to find the right location.

Right host and larvae food sources
Right nectar sources
Shelter
Puddle place

Facts of Caterpillars and Butterflies:

Eggs hatch in 3 days
Caterpillar goes through 10 to 14 days to reach the Chrysalis stage, and then it goes through 10 to 14 days to emerge, before taking off.
The female monarch has thicker black web design on its wings. The male monarch has different markings on its wings.
Milkweed is the preferred food for monarchs.
Caterpillar hangs in the “J” position for 10 days as it is transitioning into the monarch butterfly.
Queen Butterfly eats milkweed and sunflower nectar food.
Gulf Fritillary or Passion Butterfly feeds on host plant, which is purple and white.
Yellow Butterfly is sulfur color, and its caterpillar is green, which helps it blend in greenery. Its nectar is thistle and aster.
Anise Swallowtail feeds on parsley, dill, thistle, and lantana.
Giant Swallowtail feeds on host plant—citrus, plumbago, and sunflower.
Hairstreak Butterfly is a soft gray color.
Mourning Cloak Butterfly is a social butterfly, and it feeds on curly willow, elm, and rotting fruit.
Cabbage White Butterfly eats cabbage, yarrow, and verbena.
The summertime is the best time to start on your butterfly habitat. They needs lots of sun, as well as provide them with nectar plants. Mix host plant with nectar plants. Plant such plants in sunny locations, which includes balcony and raised beds.
Use recycled materials and integrated wildlife.
IPM—Integrated Pest Management—is a pest control method.
DO NOT USE PESTICIDES BECAUSE PESTICIDES KILL CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES!
If you need more information, then check out the Master Gardening website for email hotline, phone hotline, and other help hotline needs.

I added snapshots of one of the living space models with the Butterfly Sanctuary.

At the end of the seminar, they did a raffle, and I won pretty yellow and red Blanket Flowers in a pot. I placed it on my doorstep because I think it has the most sunlight, and I am checking it every other day to see if it needs watering.