When planting flowers, group them together to entice butterflies. Butterflies will generally choose a mass of flowers, rather than one or two appealing flowers. They require a different menu than adult butterflies. Caterpillars eat the leaves and sometimes flowers and seeds of certain plants. They are often highly selective compared to adult butterflies.
Caterpillars eat the leaves and sometimes flowers and seeds of certain plants.
They are often highly selective in their tastes, and some species will eat only one species of plant. It is the adult female butterfly that chooses these plants and then lays her eggs on them. So by planting larval food plants you will attract egg- laying females to your garden. Many larval plants are wildflowers, weeds, and grasses that belong in an informal setting, not in a flower border. You may want to designate a separate area for these, away from the main flower garden.