Butterflies will lay their eggs only on certain species of plants. Monarchs prefer milkweed, Zebra Swallowtails prefer Pawpaw and Gulf Fritillaries seek Passion vine. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars will feed on the plant for several weeks. After reaching the appropriate size, the caterpillars make a chrysalis and then pupate. Several days later, the adult butterfly emerges.
Adult butterflies seek brightly colored and strongly scented flowers for nectar a source of food.
If you want to make your own butterfly garden click below for a list of native Florida species of plants that will help to attract many different types of butterflies to your garden. In winter, these birds migrate out of our area and fly to Central America. This garden offers a variety of herbs and organically grown vegetables. This garden is grown with natural compost as fertilizer. No commercial pesticides are used.