Meghan Gallagher, a Winterthur horticulturist, led the Wednesdays at Winterthur walk on June 10th. She follows up with more great information about butterflies.
We had a gorgeous day and the company was great! Many important questions surfaced throughout the walk, including the significance of butterflies in the garden. Besides their beautiful colors, lepidopteran’s are nature’s pollinators for our plant species. This is especially important for the production of many fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs, not only for human consumption, but more importantly for all other wildlife.
Another crucial role of lep’s is providing a food source when the insect is in the larvae stage. Insects pack in more protein pound per pound than any other food source available to birds and other insectivores.
Creating habitats conducive to conserving these interesting insects is crucial to maintaining our natural ecosystems. Lep’s need three basic environments: A meadow, a full sun site with many different native wildflowers. A woodland edge, which has an array of microclimates created by the varying canopy layers. Lastly, a slow moving or still water source must be available for the Lep’s to mud-puddle. This behavior of drinking muddy water or wet soil is to obtain a mix of salts and amino acids which are vital to the insect.
Why native?
Our native insects have co-evolved with the native trees, shrubs and perennials and only recognize native plant material as a suitable habitat. Exotic plants may provide a quick nectar fix but they cannot support the delicate life cycles of the insect. Remember, most native host plants also happen to flower, therefore providing plenty of nectar sources throughout the season.
Some butterflies have evolved to be so specific that without a certain plant species it could not survive. A classic example of this is the Asclepias sp. with the Monarch Butterfly. The Monarch is the only insect that can internalize the cardiac glycosides in the milkweed to act as a defense mechanism against predators’.
An important factor to consider with native plants is different cultivars that are available. Natural hybridization happens in nature which is how many of the cultivars are discovered and propagated. Be aware of these variations if the purpose of the plant is to attract native insects.
There is an endless amount information about butterflies and their habitats. Your local extension office is always an incredible resource. Thanks for a great walk!!!
