Butterflies
"Don't waste your time chasing butterflies. Mend your garden, and
the butterflies will come"
- Mario Quintana
the butterflies will come"
- Mario Quintana
Introduction
Butterflies are the beauty queens of the garden, with their often beautifully-colored wings and fluttering flight pattern.
Butterfly Behavior
Butterfly Families, Genera, and Species
Butterflies belong to the order Lepidoptera, and there are around 20,000 species currently known. They are divided into seven families. Hedylidae, also called American Moth-Butterflies, are small and brown (similar in looks to moths) and have slim abdomens. Hesperiidae butterflies are referred to as 'Skippers', and have a quick, darting flight pattern. Lycaenidae includes butterflies that we know commonly as Blues, Coppers, or Hairstreaks, and are small, brightly colored, and typically have false heads as a defense mechanism. Nymphalidae butterflies are called Brush-Footed or Four-Footed Butterflies, and typically have reduced forelegs. They are typically brightly colored. Papilionidae, or Swallowtail, butterflies are often seen with 'tails' on their wings. Whites and Allies from the family Pieridae are mostly white, yellow, or orange in color. They are famous for being serious pests of Brassica plant species. Finally, Metalmarks from the family Riodinidae are often seen with metallic spots on their wings, and are brightly colored in shades of black, orange, and blue.
There are around 170 species of butterfly that are commonly found in California. Those most seen in gardens in California include the Large Marble Butterfly, the Field Crescent, the West Coast Lady, the Sooty Wing, and the California Ringlets. There are also some notable migratory species that travel through California on their journey, including the easily identifiable Monarch butterfly and the Painted Lady Butterfly. The official state butterfly of California is the California Dogface. The list below includes many (but not all) butterfly species common to California.
Brush-Footed Butterflies (Nymphalidae)
Lorquin’s Admiral
Limenitis lorquini |
Viceroy
Limenitis archippus |
Weidemeyer’s Admiral Limenitis weidemeyerii
|
Blackened Bluewing
Myscelia cyananthe |
California Sister
Adelpha bredowii |
Hackberry Emperor
Asterocampa celtis |
Callippe Fritillary
Speyeria callippe |
Coronis Fritillary
Speyeria coronis |
Hydaspe Fritillary
Speyeria hydaspe |
Great Basin Fritillary Speyeria egleis
|
Great Spangled Fritillary
Speyeria cybele |
Mormon Fritillary
Speyeria mormonia |
Nokomis Fritillary
Speyeria nokomis |
Northwestern Fritillary Speyeria hesperis
|
Unsilvered Fritillary
Speyeria adiaste |
Zerene Fritillary
Speyeria zerene |
Mexican Fritillary
Euptoieta hegesia |
Variegated Fritillary
Euptoieta claudia |
Pacific Fritillary
Boloria epithore |
Gulf Fritillary
Agraulis vanillae |
Zebra Heliconia
Heliconius charitonius |
Monarch
Danaus plexippus |
Queen
Danaus gilippus |
American Snout
Libytheana carinenta |
American Lady
Vanessa virginiensis |
Painted Lady
Vanessa cardui |
West Coast Lady
Vanessa annabella |
Red Admiral
Vanessa atalanta |
California Patch
Chlosyne californica |
Bordered Patch
Chlosyne lacinia |
Northern Checkerspot
Chlosyne palla |
Gabb’s Checkerspot
Chlosyne gabbii |
Rockslide Checkerspot
Chlosyne whitneyi |
Sagebrush Checkerspot
Chlosyne acastus |
Hoffmann’s Checkerspot
Chlosyne hoffmanni |
California Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis californica |
Mourning Cloak
Nymphalis antiopa |
Compton Tortoiseshell
Nymphalis vaualbum |
California Crescent
Phyciodes orseis |
Field Crescent
Phyciodes pulchellus |
Pearl Crescent
Phyciodes tharos |
Phaon Crescent
Phyciodes phaon |
Texan Crescent
Phyciodes texana |
Mylitta Crescent
Phyciodes mylitta |
Northern Crescent
Phyciodes cocyta |
Gray Comma
Polygonia progne |
Satyr Comma
Polygonia satyrus |
Green Comma
Polygonia faunus |
Hoary Comma
Polygonia gracilis |
Edith’s Checkerspot
Euphydryas editha |
Variable Checkerspot
Euphydryas chalcedona |
Leanira Checkerspot
Thessalia leanira |
Milbert’s Tortoiseshell
Aglais milberti |
Tiny Checkerspot
Dymasia dymas |
Dotted Checkerspot
Poladryas minuta |
Common Buckeye
Junonia coenia |
Gossamer-Winged Butterflies (Lycaenidae)
Gray Hairstreak
Strymon melinus |
Brown Elfin
Callophrys augustinus |
Spring Azure
Celastrina ladon |
Great Blue Hairstreak or Great Purple Hairstreak
Atlides halesus |
California Hairstreak or Western Hairstreak
Satyrium californica |
Silvery Blue
Glaucopsyche lygdamus |
Acmon Blue
Plebejus acmon |
Metalmark Butterflies (Riodinidae)
Mormon metalmark
Apodemia mormo |
Swallowtail Butterflies (Papilionidae)
Anise Swallowtail
Papilio zelicaon |
Black Swallowtail
Papilio polyxenes |
Giant Swallowtail
Papilio cresphontes |
Indra Swallowtail
Papilio indra |
Old World Swallowtail
Papilio machaon |
Pale Swallowtail
Papilio eurymedon |
Two-tailed Swallowtail
Papilio multicaudata |
Western Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio rutulus |
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor |
Polydamas Swallowtail
Battus polydamas |
Clodius Parnassian Parnassius clodius
|
Rocky Mountain Parnassian
Parnassius smintheus |
Sierra Nevada Parnassian
Parnassius behrii |
Skipper Butterflies (Hesperiidae)
White-edged Dusky Wing
Erynnis tristis |
White Checkered Skipper
Pyrgus albescens |
Fiery Skipper
Hylephila phyleus |
Common Branded Skipper
Hesperia comma |
Sandhill Skipper
Polities sabuleti |
butterflies in the garden
Attracting butterflies to your garden involves planting species that serve the needs of every life stage of the butterfly. These insects need places to lay eggs, food plants for larvae, places to form cocoons, and nectar sources for the adults. Use any (or all!) of the ideas below to encourage butterfly populations to visit your garden: Plant native flowering plants. Plants and butterflies have evolved together over time and are co-dependent. Native plants, especially, provide butterflies with the nectar or foliage they need as adults and caterpillars.
Choose flowers for your garden that are red, orange, yellow, pink, or purple. Butterflies are attracted to these colors the most. Also, choose flowers whose blossoms that are flat-topped or clustered with short flower tubes. Your butterfly-friendly plants should be planted in full sun mid-morning through the afternoon. Adult butterflies usually feed only in the sun.
Continuous blooming is key - butterflies need to be supported for as much of the year as possible to ensure they will keep coming back. Try to plant your garden so that as one bush stops flowering, another is just starting!
Insecticides shoud not be used if you are trying to bring butterflies into your garden! Even seemingly benign insecticides are still toxic to butterflies.
Feed the caterpillars! If caterpillars have no food, they will not get the chance to transform into butterflies. Caterpillars of each species of butterfly feed on only a very limited variety of plant life. Most butterfly caterpillars do not cause the leaf damage most gardeners associate with them.
Provide a place for your butterflies to rest. Flat stones placed around the garden provide spaces for butterflies to rest and bask in the sun.
Give your butterflies a place for 'puddling'. These insects will often congregate on wet sand or mud to drink water and extract minerals. Placing coarse sand in a shallow pan in your yard and keeping it moist is a simple way to create a great butterfly habitat.
Choose flowers for your garden that are red, orange, yellow, pink, or purple. Butterflies are attracted to these colors the most. Also, choose flowers whose blossoms that are flat-topped or clustered with short flower tubes. Your butterfly-friendly plants should be planted in full sun mid-morning through the afternoon. Adult butterflies usually feed only in the sun.
Continuous blooming is key - butterflies need to be supported for as much of the year as possible to ensure they will keep coming back. Try to plant your garden so that as one bush stops flowering, another is just starting!
Insecticides shoud not be used if you are trying to bring butterflies into your garden! Even seemingly benign insecticides are still toxic to butterflies.
Feed the caterpillars! If caterpillars have no food, they will not get the chance to transform into butterflies. Caterpillars of each species of butterfly feed on only a very limited variety of plant life. Most butterfly caterpillars do not cause the leaf damage most gardeners associate with them.
Provide a place for your butterflies to rest. Flat stones placed around the garden provide spaces for butterflies to rest and bask in the sun.
Give your butterflies a place for 'puddling'. These insects will often congregate on wet sand or mud to drink water and extract minerals. Placing coarse sand in a shallow pan in your yard and keeping it moist is a simple way to create a great butterfly habitat.
