Arts Stage Etc. Camille Jackson Natural areas where butterflies used to live are being plowed and paved over to create highways, malls and housing developments. Humans are literally driving them away. But it is possible to reverse some of the damage done to the butterfly population. It's not hard to entice hungry butterflies with a well-planned garden that considers all aspects of a butterfly's life cycle.
Butterflies are particular about where they choose to live.
The key is to plant flowers that are bright and colorful and gushing with nectar alongside host plants that butterfly caterpillars feed on. And never ever use pesticides or insecticides in your butterfly garden. Common host plants are violets, snapdragons, passionflowers, milkweed, hollyhocks, spearmint, dill and parsley. Caterpillars eat leaves, seeds and seed pods, and very few caterpillars are agricultural pests. The females will seek out host plants to lay their eggs.