Adult butterflies range in size from the half-inch pigmy blue found in southern California to the giant female Queen Alexandra's birdwing of New Guinea, which measures about 10 inches from wing tip to wing tip. Contact with sweet liquids such as nectar causes the proboscis to uncoil. Millions of shinglelike, overlapping scales give butterfly wings their color and patterns. By flexing and rubbing together body segment membranes, sounds are generated that may frighten off small predators and parasites. Nectar-producing plants should be grown in open, sunny areas, as adults of most species rarely feed on plants in the shade.
Many caterpillars are picky eaters.
They rely on only one or two species of plants. Others, such as the red-spotted purple, will feed on a variety of deciduous trees. Necessities for a butterfly garden Provide flowers to feed adults. Butterfly adults generally feed only in the sun. If sun is limited in your landscape, try adding butterfly nectar sources to the vegetable garden.