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A couple more notes before I conclude the prosaic portion of this article and end with a couple of lists: butterflies should not be handled except in an emergency when they are trapped, and even then, care should be taken not to brush the wings if possible. The scales on these wings are important to the butterfly’s ability to fly efficiently, mate and regulate temperature. Butterflies wings must reach a certain temperature in order for them to fly at all. Also, butterflies in your garden get thirsty, too. Placing a rock, which protrudes above the water’s surface in a birdbath will give them a safe perch to sip.

Below are lists of host and nectar plants most common/suitable for our region: Larval Host Plants

Pipevine Swallowtail pipevine and Dutchman’s pipe, Zebra Swallowtail pawpaws, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail wild black cherry, tulip tree, ash, American hornbeam, lilac, spicebush, Black Swallowtail dill, Queen Anne’s lace, rue parsley, Spicebush Swallowtail sassafras, spicebush, Anise Swallowtail fennel, dill, parsley, Sulphurs alfalfa, cassia, astralgus, clovers, including Melilotus Alba, Coppers docks, Gray Hairstreak clovers, legumes, mallows, Frittilaries violets, pansies, Monarch milkweeds (swamp, common, tropical, whorled, and butterfly weed), Buckeye plantain, gerardia, snapdragons, ruellia, Red-Spotted Purple poplars, oaks, wild black cherry, Comma nettles, American elm, Red Admiral nettles, American Lady antennaria (pussytoes), Skippers locust, wisteria, mallow, bluegrass, Spring Azure dogwoods, privet, viburnum, New Jersey Tea

Nectar Plants

Staghorn sumac, milkweeds, lilacs, asters, yarrows, zinnias, cosmos, verbenas, phlox, hibiscus, salvia, selfheal, centranthus, rugosa roses, tithonia, mints, lavender, salvias, pussy willow, lantana, monarda, catnip, butter