Its June and I’ve seen exactly two butterflies the whole year. I’m getting a bad feeling about this. We have a backyard that is specifically landscaped with native plants and lots of nectar rich plants for the bees, birds and butterflies.
It seems like everything and everyone is plotting to kill my butterflies. Are YOU a butterfly-killer?
KILLER # 1 – SOME GENETICALLY MODIFIED CORN
Some kinds of genetically engineered corn (”BT”) have been shown to kill butterflies. On the face of it, the corn sounded like a good idea. It was engineered to contain a pesticide to cut down on farmer’s spraying - only problem is that the pesticide gets dispersed in its pollen and in a test was shown to kill the monarch butterflies exposed to it and severely stunt the growth of remainder. A growth stunted butterfly cannot make the great flight from Mexico to my backyard way up here in Canada. Neither can the dead ones.
http://www.globalchange.com/monarch.htm
http://www.news.cornell.edu/releases/May99/Butterflies.bpf.html
KILLER # 2 – YOU, THE GARDENER WHO USES BACTERIAL PESTICIDES
The popular trend in bacterial pesticides – you know the ones that have little bugs in them that kill other bugs? They kill larvae, including butterflies. So, if you want to see more butterflies, quit using that *&^% BT (bacillus thuringiensis (BT)) which kills caterpillars INCLUDING butterflies.
KILLER # 3 – DESTROYERS OF WETLAND
The monarch butterfly needs milkweed to lay its eggs on and to host its young. As wetlands get destroyed, so do large stands of naturally occuring milkweed. Since we like to live in big houses usually built on formerly natural land, its a nice thought to give back a little spot to nature by planting a small stand of milkweed. Its ugly but it works.
WANT TO HELP?
I know you do. You aren’t killing my butterflies on purpose. Help restore some of the butterflies’ natural habitat in your own yard. You don’t need a huge complicated garden. Even a few well watered pots in full sun will do the trick, especially if there are some flat surfaces like stones or bricks nearby that the butterflies can use to sun themselves.
NECTAR VS STYLE - Butterflies like nectar rich plants. The insidious truth that most greenhouses don’t want you to realize is that Just because a plant is pretty doesn’t mean it is nectar rich. In fact, some of the prettiest plants today are engineered for colour, at the expense of the nutrients available to our bees and butterflies. Sometimes, the humble original species of a plant is best for the wildlife instead of the fancy cultivars. Try to find good plants that will feed the butterflies AND come in colours that are attractive to them – pink, red, purple, orange and yellow flowers. They love our white and purple cosmos masses.
BIG FLAT TOPS -Butterflies like plants with big steady tops like coneflowers.
PLANT TWELVE NOT ONE - Butterflies like stands of flowers. So don’t just plant one cosmos – plant 12 all together making a big patch.
ROTTEN FRUIT – Believe it or not, this is all some butterflies eat. Try some mashed banana or watermelons. Keep out of reach of children and watch out for the bees – they like these too.
TRY THESE ON IN YOUR GARDEN – Plant some of the following plants (but please check your local environmental authority to make sure they aren’t invasive in YOUR area), and put those bottles of insecticide away. We grow these in our Zone 4 garden.
- Butterfly Bush (buddleia davidii) – perennial, likes moderate moisture, smells incredibly sweet. You will never regret planting two of these side by side. Sit back and watch the butterfly parade! Needs some winter protection.
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia Cardinalis) – perennial, likes wet
- Yarrow (achillea millefolium)- perennial, likes dry
- Cosmos – annual, likes moderate wet
- Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) – perennial, grows anywhere
- Coneflower (Echinaecea) – perennial, likes it a bit dry
- Milkweed (Asclepias) This is the monarch butterflies’ sole food for caterpillars – why not plant some in an inconspicuous spot and sacrifice them to the pretty striped monarch caterpillars? Perennial, likes moister areas.
- Joe Pye Weed (eupatorium maculatum) – six foot tall native wonder, loved by all. Big pink puffy plumes. Plants likes moisture.
NASTY NASTY STAY AWAYS
For the sake of our wetlands, please stay away from these plants in most areas of Ontario and Quebec. They are invasive and smother native plant species that feed our wildlife:
- Rose of Sharon
- Russian Olive
- Japanese Blood Grass
- Silver lace vine
- Wisteria
Alright, you know what you need to do. Pick up the trowel and go to it! And no, I don’t make house calls!
On behalf of the butterflies – thank you.
Northerngardener
(Copyright 2008 by the Northerngardener. Go ahead and link to me, just don’t copy me. )
