Butterfly Brochure pf5

Planting for Butterflies
Georgia is
home to over
160
ou can attract butterflies by growing plants they need. Most butterflies can feed on nectar from
a wide variety of plants, but cannot reproduce without their native host plants. You can help by
planting the host species in this guide and protecting habitats where they grow naturally.
know
with both common and scientific names. Because common names vary and some species look similar,
reference the scientific name when buying plants. Be sure to buy plants that have not been treated with
pesticides. Pesticides can be toxic to butterflies and other insects.
While native plants are crucial for butterflies, they can be hard to find. Sources of Georgia native plants,
ignore flowers
but will happily
eat spoiled fruit!
Almost any
backyard
can attract
approximately
30
butterfly
species.
Some butterflies
completely
butterfly
species.
Though most butterfly species use several host plants, this guide only lists one plant per butterfly,
additional planting tips, and many more butterflies can be found at www.nabageorgia.weebly.com.
Did you
GeorgiA
Life Cycle
B utt e r f l i e s
of a Butterfly
Butterflies have four life stages: 1) egg,
2) larva, 3) pupa (chrysalis), and 4) adult.

Can you identify these butterflies?
This is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, the

state butterfly of Georgia. The Tuliptree
Answer: Pearl Crescent and Gray Hairstreak
(Liriodendron tulipifera) is
P r o t e cti n g t h e m a j e stic
Monarchs
Monarchs east of the Rockies have declined
significantly since 1995.
s u g g e st e d G e o r g i a
n at i v e m i l kw e e d s
Tiger Swallowtail.
Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata)
Common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Poke milkweed (Asclepias exaltata)
Whorled milkweed (Asclepias verticillata)
Monarch
Milkweed and other native butterfly host plants have been

reduced in recent years due to a number of factors, including
human development, agriculture, mowing, climate change, and
the use of chemical weed killers (herbicides).
Some scientists are concerned the spread of tropical milkweed
(Asclepias curassavica) in the U.S. has negative impacts on
monarch migration. To avoid potential risks of growing tropical
milkweed, cut it to the ground in late fall and also include
Georgia native milkweeds and nectar plants in your garden.
a host plant for the Eastern
Slow, sailing flight

Slightly larger
or
The larva
sheds its skin
several times as
it grows!
Viceroy
Fast, erratic flight

Black band on hind wings
This educational resource was developed by the North American Butterfly Association,
Georgia-Piedmont Chapter, with technical advice and expertise provided by Monarchs
Across Georgia and Dr. Jaret C. Daniels. Funding was provided by Friends of Georgia
State Parks & Historic Sites and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Photography by Jim Alison, Eric Bgin, Dale Clark, Jaret C. Daniels, Vicki DeLoach, Phil Delestrez, Quinn
Dombrowski, David Edwards, John Flannery, Mollie Freilicher, David Heise, David A. Hofmann, Ellen
Honeycutt, Neil Hunt, Kara Jones, Mary Keim, Regina Kreger, Dane Larsen, Seabrooke Leckie, Virginia C.
Linch, Donna L. Long, Manuel, Meredith Mays, Chrissy McClarren, Melissa McMasters, Tom Murray, Laura
and Berry Nall, R. A. Nonenmacher, Piers Nye, Vincent Parsons, Rose Payne, Penn State, Tom Potterfield,
Andy Reago, Paul Ritchie, Harry Rose, Jason Sharp, Ken Slade, Caleb Slemmons, Forest and Kim Starr,
Dean Wm. Taylor, Per Verdonk, and Kerry Wixted. Design by Krissy Smith Verplank.
Who's on
the cover?
Monarch larvae can only

eat milkweed leaves!
Use this guide

to identify the
butterflies!
Answer: Black Swallowtail larva and
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail adult
Asclepias
tuberosa
During spring and summer, monarchs breed

throughout the U.S. and southern Canada.
In the fall, adults of an eastern population
migrate to Mexico for the winter. The
following spring, these butterflies fly
northward, many crossing Georgia.
To survive these long journeys,
monarchs need nectar from
flowering plants all along their
route and milkweed

on which to lay eggs
in spring. The eggs
hatch into caterpillars
that can only eat
milkweed leaves.
Gray Hairstreak
Summer Azure
Eastern Tailed Blue
American Snout
Variegated Fritillary
Gulf Fritillary
h o st P l a n t
Winged Sumac
(Rhus copallinum)
Rose Mallow
(Hibiscus moscheutos)
Dogwood
(Cornus florida)
New Jersey Tea
(Ceanothus americanus)
Bush Clover
(Lespedeza virginica)
Adu lt
Viceroy
Pearl Crescent
Red Admiral
Common Buckeye
Red-Spotted Purple
Common Hackberry
Mourning Cloak
Birdfoot Violet
Eastern Comma
(Celtis occidentalis)
(Viola pedata)
Passionflower
(Passiflora incarnata)
Question Mark
l a rva
h o st P l a n t
Adu lt
American Lady
Black Willow
(Salix nigra)
New England Aster
Painted Lady
Common Hop Vine
Carolina Satyr
(Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
(Humulus lupulus)
Wild Petunia
(Ruellia caroliniensis)
Wild Cherry
(Prunus serotina)
Black Willow
(Salix nigra)
False Nettle
(Boehmeria cylindrica)
False Nettle
(Boehmeria cylindrica)
Horace's Duskywing
Cloudless Sulphur
Little Yellow
Sleepy Orange
Cabbage White
(native to Europe)
l a rva
h o st P l a n t
Adu lt
Silver-Spotted Skipper
Thistle
(Cirsium altissimum)
Fiery Skipper
Carpet Grass
(Axonopus compressus)
Water Oak
(Quercus nigra)
Wild Senna
(Senna marilandica)
Partridge Pea
(Chamaecrista fasciculata)
Wild Senna
(Senna marilandica)
Virginia Peppergrass
(Lepidium virginicum)
l a rva
Long-Tailed Skipper
Pussy Toes
(Antennaria plantaginifolia)
S wa l l o w ta i l s
Red-Banded Hairstreak
Spring Azure
Brushfoots
l a rva
Whites, sulphurs, skippers
Gossamer-Wings
Adu lt
Spicebush Swallowtail
Zebra Swallowtail
Black Swallowtail
Pipevine Swallowtail
Giant Swallowtail
h o st P l a n t
American Wisteria
(Wisteria frutescens)
False Indigo Bush
(Amorpha fruticosa)
Teal Lovegrass
(Eragrostis hypnoides)
Spicebush
(Lindera benzoin)
Pawpaw Tree
(Asimina triloba)
Golden Alexander
(Zizia aurea)
Pipevine
(Aristolochia tomentosa)
Hercules Club
(Zanthoxylum clava-herculis)

Butterfly Brochure pf5

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Butterfly Brochure pf5

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Butterfly Brochure pf5

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Planting for Butterflies

Butterflies have four life stages: 1) egg,

2) larva, 3) pupa (chrysalis), and 4) adult.

This is the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, the

Answer: Pearl Crescent and Gray Hairstreak

Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)

Milkweed and other native butterfly host plants have been

a host plant for the Eastern

Slow, sailing flight

Fast, erratic flight

Monarch larvae can only

Use this guide

During spring and summer, monarchs breed

route and milkweed

Eastern Tailed Blue

New Jersey Tea

New England Aster

Common Hop Vine

Whites, sulphurs, skippers

False Indigo Bush

You might also like