Butterflies have landed in new markets from hair clips to home decor. And an increasingly popular gardening strategy has more butterflies landing in home gardens. Butterfly gardening deals with planting the right kind of flowers to attract the colorful creatures and caterpillars to your yard. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service has information on butterfly gardening, including a colorful, new two-poster set and fact sheet. A basic understanding of the life history of butterflies, their food needs and the plants that provide these is all you need to plan and grow a garden suited for butterflies.
Butterflies are most abundant from spring through fall.
Several species of butterflies monarchs, cloudless sulfurs and snout butterflies migrate during late summer and fall. Plants that flower throughout the summer and into October and November attract these migrating butterflies. Drees added that local arboretums, botanical gardens and parks are excellent places to observe butterflies and host plants. Make note of the flowers that attract butterflies in your area, and then talk to a local nurseryman about obtaining these plants for a home garden, he said. The poster set was developed by the departments of agricultural communications and entomology.