Friday, August 8, 2014



Welcoming Butterflies 

by Ilene Stermnerg
Whatever the size of your garden, you can add excitement and wonder by welcoming beautiful, delicate members of the Lepidoptera family to share your little plot of heaven on earth.
Despite their freewheeling, frivolous demeanor, butterflies follow a deliberate and complex regimen in their day-to-day doings. Their life-cycle consists of four stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis) and adult (butterfly), each stage requiring specific food and environments.
The Life Cycle 
Butterflies deposit eggs — singly or in clusters — in spring, summer or fall, depending on the species. A good nectar source promotes the production of large numbers of eggs. Some lay eggs on only one or a few plant species, others on many kinds, usually on those appropriate as larval food. Eggs usually hatch within a few days. Nine out of 10 eggs never become adults because predators, mainly birds, think the eggs, caterpillars and butterflies are delicious ...