A wide variety of food plants will give the greatest diversity of visitors. Try staggering wild and cultivated plants, as well as blooming times of the day and year. Groups of the same plants will be easier for butterflies to see than singly planted flowers.
Some females are pickier about which host to lay their eggs on than others.
A few specific examples of butterflies and their host plants are listed at the end of this fact sheet. The larvae can also be very noteworthy. It's better to be safe than sorry, so wear gloves when handling these larvae. Certain swallowtail caterpillars imitate snakes or bird droppings. Other caterpillars, like sulphers, are camouflaged, or blend into their surroundings very well.