Butterfly garden a science lesson in the back yard

An ordinary yard sees its share of colorful butterflies, melodious birds and useful bees. An extraordinary garden is planted specifically to attract them! Creating a butterfly, bird and bee garden will bring science to life for you and your family: It will increase appreciation for nature and all living things and will help children discover what a positive influence they can have on the environment around them.

Why not design a garden to attract butterflies to the yard and to provide a tool for children to learn more about gardening and insect life? Dozens of plants from local nurseries and greenhouses attract some of the most common butterflies in our state: monarchs, swallowtails, red admirals and morning cloaks, to name a few. These plants will attract a host of other creatures – you’ll see hummingbirds, songbirds, moths, bees and wasps about the garden as well.

Like many insects, butterflies undergo four stages of change during their life. An adult butterfly lays an egg. The egg hatches into a caterpillar or larva, which forms a protective cocoon while a pupa. The pupa then turns to a mature adult butterfly. This process is called metamorphosis.

Eggs appear as tiny bead-like structures clustered tightly together and attached to the underside of leaves or to the bark of a tree. Hundreds of butterfly eggs can be packed into one square inch.

During its caterpillar stage, the maturing insect has only one job: to eat continuously until it becomes plump and has stored enough energy in its body to transform into a beautiful butterfly.

When it has become mature, the caterpillar attaches itself to a leaf, twig or stem and makes a tough covering called a chrysalis.

From where we observe the pupa, it appears that the insect is sleeping and inactive, but in reality, amazing things are happening inside. The insect is still growing and big changes are happening to its body. When the pupa opens, we find the caterpillar has changed its form: Its coloring has changed and it now has long willowy antennae and beautifully patterned wings.

When it emerges from the cocoon, the adult butterfly is weak. Its wings are damp and folded. A newly transformed butterfly can often be spotted sitting atop a leaf, fanning its wings slowly in an effort to unfurl, dry and strengthen them.

A butterfly garden should be located in full sun, with protection from strong winds if possible. South or southeast exposure is perfect. Select a site with the protection of a nearby fence, building, hedge or slope.

Rocks placed in an upright position will provide a place for butterflies to warm themselves in the cool temperatures of the morning or evening. A water source – either a natural, shallow pool or a birdbath – will be essential for attracting and keeping butterflies near the garden.

In their larval stage as caterpillars, butterflies require leafy food plants; in their adult stage, they require nectar plants. Some caterpillars feed on specific host plants, while others feed on a variety of plants. If possible, include both larval host plants and adult nectar plants in your planting scheme. You’ll notice that butterflies tend to flock to fragrant plants. When purchasing plants for your butterfly garden, favor those that have a lasting fragrance.

Select a combination of annual plants (that grow for only one season) and perennial plants (those that come back year after year). Annuals will provide color all season long, while perennials have a particular season of bloom, such as spring, early summer, late summer or fall. If you have a lot of space, include flowering shrubs like lilac, cotoneaster, honeysuckle and the marginally hardy butterfly bush to serve as a backdrop to your flower garden and to provide butterflies with much needed shelter, as well as a nectar source.

While butterflies are attracted to a range of plants, they respond with preference to plants with a clustered flower structure; that is, plants with flower shapes like Queen Anne’s lace, pincushion flower, red swallowwort, butterfly weed, heliotrope, verbena and yarrow. Caterpillars enjoy dill and parsley.

Planting flowers in groups will create a more naturalized effect in your garden. Keep it simple – large masses of a few nectar flowers and food plants, is most effective.

If you observe butterflies and bees, you’ll find that they tend to concentrate on masses of flowers. This allows the insects to gather a sample supply of nectar in a short distance – all the while expending a minimal amount of energy.

Diana George Chapin is the NEWS garden columnist. Send horticulture questions to Gardening Questions, RR1, Box 2120, Montville 04941, or e-mail them to dianagc@ctel.net. Selected questions will be answered in future columns. Include name, address and telephone number.