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#1 |
Fox
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
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Something that is rarely mentioned in butterfly gardening articles is that many species of butterflies use trees and shrubs for host plants. Among the butterflies that use trees and shrubs are:
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Giant Swallowtail acadian Hairstreak Coral Hairstreak Edwards' Hairstreak Hickory Hairstreak Banded Hairstreak Early Hairstreak Eastern Pine Elfin Spring Azure Question Mark Gray Comma Green Comma Compton Tortoiseshell Mourning Cloak Red-spotted Purple White Admiral Viceroy Hackberry Emperor Silver-spotted Skipper Dreamy Duskywing Sleepy Duskywing Juvenal's Duskywing Those are just some of the northern ones that I am familiar with. So when you are planning that complete butterfly garden, don't forget to consider some of the native tree and shrub host plants. Or, if you are just looking for some native trees and shrubs for your yard, consider selecting some of those that will also benefit your local butterflies.
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. Age is a biological fact. Old is a state of mind. I will age, but I refuse to get old. Last edited by Cirsium; 06-10-2010 at 11:54 AM. |
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#2 |
Slapping, Swearing, Itching, Scratching Mosquito Bait
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: pennsylvania,usa
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What is frustrating about this (to me) is some unpopular trees are larval or nectar hosts for some spectacular butterflies and moths. I guess what I'm trying to say is generally people don't want to plant or abide an Acer negundo (boxelder) or a hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) in their yard, for example.
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#3 |
Fox
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
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Good point. There are a few native plants that are aggressive colonizers; especially in a disturbed area. Nature deals with this through succession, but I don't think the average gardener wants to wait that long.
![]() It's one of the reasons why it's so important to have protected natural areas, where nature keeps things in balance and can provide for the needs of the native fauna that need these kind of plants.
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. Age is a biological fact. Old is a state of mind. I will age, but I refuse to get old. |
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#4 | |
Grub
Join Date: Dec 2008
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This year is the one we ditch neatness in favor of wildlife. |
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#5 | |
Co-Administrator
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Midwest
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#6 |
Official Plant Nerd
Join Date: Dec 2008
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You will soon find once you start this project that you need them all! See my signature line
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"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss |
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#7 |
Too Wild To Garden
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Franklin, Massachusetts, United States
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#8 |
A Bee's Best Friend
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Chicago Illinois USA
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Early flowering trees and shrubs make up most of the nectar and pollen for early rising bees as well. I have been looking for native trees and shrubs that bloom early so that a continuous supply of food is available for the early bumbles that I have seen.
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#9 |
Fox
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
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It's the caterpillars of the Harvester butterfly (Feniseca tarquinius) that are carnivorous. They feed on woolly aphids; and sometimes scale insects or tree hoppers. This is the only carnivorous butterfly in North America. The adults feed on aphid honeydew.
Species Detail | Butterflies and Moths of North America
__________________
. Age is a biological fact. Old is a state of mind. I will age, but I refuse to get old. |
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#10 |
Fox
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
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A really good tree for me is the red maple - lots of flowers and lots of bee activity. An early shrub is the willows. The next big producer is the standard fruit trees (not native, but not invasive either); apples and plums including the native wild plum. Serviceberries or juneberries (Amelanchier species) and all the wild cherries are also good producers of nectar and pollen.
__________________
. Age is a biological fact. Old is a state of mind. I will age, but I refuse to get old. |
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Tags |
butterflies, butterfly garden, host, host plant, native plants, nectar, plants, pollen, shrubs, trees |
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