By: Hettie Basil Lighttower

More about butterflies. Over the decades of giving presentations on butterflies, folks have asked me what I considered to be an odd question. On more than one occasion in different times and places I have been asked “What is the purpose of butterflies?” And I would say inside my head to myself, “this question again? Odd. Why do people ask this? Why do they think I know what God had planned when He made butterflies?” But my reply has now gone from, “they are the second most important pollinators we have next to bees.” To: “They are God’s special messengers. Not only are the second most important pollinators, but they come to us during times of question or sorrow. Many folks share with me stories that start out with, ‘you’ll believe me ‘cause you’re the butterfly lady’, and proceed into their unusual occurrence story”. It is amazing how many stories are out there having to do with a butterfly coming and landing on or circling around individuals at the passing of a loved one, or on a day they received good or bad news or just when they are feeling down and contemplating a permanent solution to their temporary problems.
If you have ever had a butterfly to land on you, it automatically sends a jolt of joy through your body as well as a basking of royalty flare because that butterfly CHOSE you rather than any other flower in the field. I think they are here to bring us that joy, to show us beauty with so many colors and to comfort us. Pollination is just a bonus! But did you know that only 1-3% of butterflies survive all their immature stages to fruition of adulthood? That is a low number. They have so many predators. Just about everything is looking for a meal from the butterflies, caterpillars, the chrysalids or eggs!
In every stage of their life they have a predator. Spiders, ants, any beetle larvae, tiny wasps called trichogrammatid (a third the size of a fruit fly) and even other caterpillars will eat eggs!! As tiny caterpillars and throughout their growth, many species of spiders, ants, praying mantis, flies, wasps, beetles and birds will eat them. Most flies and wasps that feed on them do so by laying their eggs on them or in them and use them as a host organism for their larvae and then the butterfly caterpillar dies. As a pupa or chrysalis birds, lizards, rodents (including squirrels) and wasps. And most of these too depressing to repeat will kill a butterfly adult for a meal. So this is why it is helpful for us to protect and provide habitat because predators are not the only reason they don’t survive.
Butterflies require host and nectar plants. We know that plants that flower provide nectar so that part is easy. Try to focus on native flowers and not hybrids. Even a simple dandelion produces more nectar than that fancy petunia from a nursery.
Each species of butterfly (and moth) requires a particular type of plant to lay their eggs on. That plant gets referred to as a “host plant”. When the eggs hatch, the caterpillars crawl out and begin eating the host plant. Some butterfly caterpillars will eat their eggshell first, then eat the plant. Most butterflies lay their eggs one at a time and spread them out amongst host plants. That is why it looks like butterflies are flying around aimlessly sometimes, but really, they have a purpose to hide their eggs from predators and not get caught while doing it or they themselves can fall prey to be someone’s dinner.
Not all butterflies lay their eggs on ground plants. Some use trees as their host plant! Willow, elm, pawpaw, hackberry, cherry, apple, tulip poplar, ash, dogwood and aspen are the most commonly used in West Virginia, willow being the most versatile attracting a good bit of species.
A list of host plants to consider in your space when wanting to attract butterflies are violets for five species of fritillaries; milkweed for monarchs; thistles, malva, hollyhocks for painted ladies; stinging nettle for red admirals, question marks, commas, milbert’s tortoiseshell and painted ladies; dill, fennel, parsley or queen Anne’s lace for black swallowtails; rue for giant swallowtails and black swallowtails; clovers for yellow sulfur species; sheep sorrel for coppers; alfalfa for alfalfa butterflies(another yellow species) and plantain for buckeyes and painted ladies.
Remember when planting native wildflowers for your butterfly enjoyment to include early, mid and late blooming nectar sources. Each different flower has vital importance to supply sustenance all season long. Avoid hybrid-fad types of flowers as the nectar supply is next to zero.
Send in your notions and comments to [email protected]. I will include them in the next available column as per their arrival relative to the publication deadline of Tuesday by 12 p.m. of the same week. If you wish to be anonymous let me know. Kindness is contagious~*