Disappearing Butterflies
Butterflies have mesmerized humans for millennia. Images of butterflies have appeared in 3000-year-old hieroglyphs, in ancient Mayan art and among the artifacts of many ancient Native American cultures including Aztec and Hopi.
Such a shame that butterflies are appearing less and less frequently in our gardens, right? They bring a sense of rebirth and wonder. But what do they contribute to the earth besides beauty and the pure poetry that is a butterfly?
Butterflies are important pollinators for many flowering plants and as food for many other species. Butterfly watching provides the foundation of some economies in developing countries, such as the Monarchs’ overwintering grounds in several small Mexican towns, where tourists flock to see the spectacular show.
An Astounding Transformation
The lifecycle of butterflies from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis (cocoons are for moths!) to winged wonders has baffled and fascinated scientists for centuries. The transformational magic begins in the chrysalis, where the caterpillar literally melts. But some of the old caterpillar tissues, called imaginal disks, are absorbed into the becoming-butterfly’s body… caterpillar legs become butterfly legs… wings form beneath the caterpillars skin. The rest of the tissues liquify (the caterpillars head essential falls off!) to provide nutrients to it’s new form. This entire complete transformation takes only about two weeks. Click on “Books & People” on the menu at right for more information.
Butterflies are in Trouble
“…. evidence is mounting that many butterflies are now declining in unprecedented numbers.” – Gardening for Butterflies, The Xerces Society, Portland, OR, 2016
There are more than 20,000 species of butterflies that have been identified globally. And who knows how many more there could be… if only we can meet them before they go extinct. Habitat loss, climate change, pesticides, destructive farming practices and invasive species are all contributing the decline in butterfly populations. Ninety percent of all North American Monarchs make the 4800- kilometer migration to their Mexican overwintering grounds. Over the past two decades, surveys of these two wintering populations have documented steep declines, with numbers dropping to levels that threaten extinction.
Backyard Gardeners can Save the Day
No matter where in the world you live, whether you have a garden, a meadow, a strip of dirt along your street or simply a pot to plant in, you can provide food and habitat for butterflies. You don’t have to go big to go green in this situation. Simply planting flowers, shrubs or trees that attract butterflies and feed butterflies will create habitat that butterflies and other pollinators desperately need as their habitat shrinks globally.
The list of plants that butterflies can thrive on is long and diverse. Many are low-maintenance, easy to grow, drought-tolerant and perennial… so you can plant them once and feed butterflies forever.
Click on “Organic Gardening Tips” under TOPICS on the left for a quick how-to on Grow Your Own “Pesticides”
Click on “Eco-Cool Kids” under TOPICS one the left for Plant Something Pretty that Feeds Butterflies!