Thistles – The Good and Bad
Thistles often get the worst reputation, because many are invasive in pastures and lawns. But did you know there are several native thistles which are important parts of the native ecosystem? We will go over the various thistles, both natives and nonnatives. It is always important to distinguish between the two, since there are insects […]
Butterfly Lovers Buffet Plants
Butterfly lovers should plant a variety of plants, from trees and shrubs, to grasses and perennials for butterflies. But what are some of the best plants to attract butterflies, and other pollinators to the garden? How can butterfly lovers plant such a buffet of perennials, grasses, and other plants to attract the widest variety of […]
Maintaining The Butterfly Garden
It feels strange to not do anything in the butterfly garden, but that is exactly the best thing to do. At least, as long as you have no invasive insects or plants. June is the month of flowers, bees, and butterflies, at least here in Northeast Kansas. It used to be “April showers bring May […]
The Author’s 5 Favorite Trees for Leps
What are leps? Leps refers to Lepidoptera, aka moths and butterflies. I love moths, and butterflies too. So I am always looking to add trees, shrubs, and perennials to my landscape which are great for them. With trees, it is hard to find very many that are great for butterflies. Moths yes, some trees are […]
Exploring the Garden for Caterpillars
Caterpillars are one of my favorite things to find when exploring the garden. My son loves them too. In the summer of 2022, we started a daily notion on who would see the most caterpillars. I usually have time over my lunch break to hunt caterpillars, while he looks for them all day. But I […]
How To Protect Monarch Butterflies with Gardening
Recently classified as an endangered species by the International Union For Conservation of Nature, the monarch butterfly is one of our most recognized insect species. For decades, gardeners, biologists, and entomologists have been watching the decline of these butterflies and pushing to get them on the list. But what does it mean to be on […]
Swallowtail Butterflies in Your Garden
Attracting swallowtail butterflies to the garden is something many gardeners strive for. Why do we love swallowtail butterflies? It is because these butterflies are large, showy, and fun to watch. Even as a child I watched the large yellow and black striped Eastern Tiger Swallowtail swooping and landing on the garden phlox in my grandmother’s […]
Build a Butterfly Garden in 9 Steps
Building a butterfly garden should be on the list for every gardener. You can make your entire garden and landscape a butterfly garden or you can create a small, postage stamp garden specifically for butterflies. Anyone, even balcony gardeners can have a butterfly garden. You can have your own pollinator paradise in 9 easy steps. […]
15 Host Plants for Butterflies
Butterflies are the flying flowers of the garden. Everyone notices them and everyone loves them. To attract a wider range of butterflies to your garden, you need to have a variety of host plants and nectar plants, and even a variety of ecosystems would be helpful. The best butterfly populations are going to be common […]
