NebGuide

Buttery Gardening
Dale T. Lindgren, Extension Horticulturist; Stephen M. Spomer, Research Technologist, Entomology; and Kim Todd, Extension Horticulturist This NebGuide discusses butteries and their relatives and the plants that will help attract them to a garden. Butteries can be found throughout Nebraska, from the coniferous forests of the Pine Ridge, through the grasslands of the Sandhills, to the deciduous forests along the Missouri River. Like bird watching or observing wildowers, watching butteries is a popular and enjoyable pastime. Although many natural buttery habitats have been lost to urbanization and agricultural development, conservation of these beautiful insects has been incorporated into numerous programs and projects. Many individuals also are taking a personal interest in attracting these fascinating insects to their gardens. By choosing the right plants, you can attract many different butteries, moths and skippers, adding an ever-changing mural of color and motion to your landscape. Butteries, moths and skippers belong to the insect order Lepidoptera, with moths comprising the largest percentage. Skippers are most often mistaken for butteries, but they differ somewhat (Table I). All three groups act as pollinators for specic plants and are a food source for many animals. For this publication, reference to butteries also includes moths and skippers.
Table I. Characteristics of butteries, skippers, and moths. Butteries Fly in daytime Clubbed antennae Skippers Fly in daytime Moths Fly mostly at night

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one, two or more generations (broods) per year. Usually, the most common butteries have multiple broods and provide a continuous array of color and activity in a buttery garden throughout the season. Life Cycle Egg Eggs are laid singly or in clusters, usually on the host plant, but sometimes in organic matter, weeds or soil. Eggs hatch in a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the species. However some copper and hairstreak butteries spend the winter in the egg stage. The larva eats its way out of the egg and is soon ready to feast on its host plant. Fritillaries are one exception, spending the winter as newly-hatched unfed larvae. Larva The larva continues to eat many times its own weight until its cuticle (skin) stretches to capacity. A hormone in the larva signals when it is time to shed its skin, or molt. Buttery caterpillars go through three to ve molts and are therefore found in various sizes before they are ready to pupate. Pupa or Chrysalis When the larva is full grown, another hormone signals when it is time to form a chrysalis, or pupate. The chrysalis is the resting stage between larva and adult. When it is time to pupate, the larva may spin a small silken mat to use to hang itself upside-down from a branch or leaf, or attach itself to the host plant by a silken girdle. In contrast to butteries, many moths spin a silken cocoon. Adult Several conditions may inuence the development of the chrysalis, including humidity, temperature and/or day length. Emergence time usually coincides with host plant availability. Adults spend their entire life mating, laying eggs and seeking nectar. Adult butteries live from about a week to several months. A few spend the winter in outbuildings or logs, but most die before winter. Commonly Attracted Butteries in Nebraska

Clubbed antennae Unclubbed, usually with a feathery feathery, antennae hook on end Drab to colorful (often brown to orange) Usually smooth bodied Often powerful iers Drab to colorful

Usually brightly colored Usually smooth bodied

Usually hairy bodied

In Nebraska, some of the most easily attracted butteries, moths and skippers include: Alfalfa Buttery Colias eurytheme Boisduval American Painted Lady Vanessa virginiensis (Drury) Cabbage Buttery Pieris rapae (L.) Checkered Skipper Pyrgus communis (Grote) Clouded Sulphur Colias philodice Godart Eastern Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes asterius Stoll Eastern Tailed Blue Everes comyntas Godart Gorgone Checkerspot Chlosyne gorgone carlota (Reakirt) Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus Hbner Great Spangled Fritillary Speyeria cybele (Fabricius) Monarch Danaus plexippus (L.) Painted Lady Vanessa cardui (L.)

Buttery Biology and Life Cycle Butteries go through a four-stage development process known as metamorphosis. The four stages are egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa or chrysalis, and adult. Understanding a butterys life cycle can make watching them more enjoyable, and can help people understand the principles of attracting butteries to their gardens. Depending on the species, the life cycle of the insect may take anywhere from about one month to an entire year to complete. Nebraska butteries may have

Table II. Plants to attract butteries. Common Name Scientic Name Select Varieties Bloom Color Ht./ Spread 16"-20" 12"-12" 48"-36" 6"-12" 36"-48" 18"-18" 24"-24" 18"-24" 18"-24" 18"-18" varies 36"-24" 36"-24" 30"-24" 18"-24" varies 20"-24" 60"-24" varies 30"-10" 72"-12" 48"-24" 72"-48" 18"-18" 36"-36" 24"-24" 28"-15" 48"-15" 12"-12" 15"-15" 8"-8" 24"-48" 20"-15" 15"-24" 15"-30" 2"-12" 24"-24" 6"-18" 24"-18" 24"-36" 30"-30" 15"-15" 24"-36" Bloom Time May-Sept July-Sept Sept-Oct July-Sept Sept-Oct June-Aug. July-Sept July-Sept June-Sept May-Oct Aug-Oct June-Aug. June-July June-July June-Sept June-Sept Sept June-Aug. June-July July-Sept July-Aug. May-Aug. July-Sept July-Sept June-July June-July June-July May-Aug. July-Aug. Apr-May May-June May-June Aug-Sept June-July July-Aug. July-Aug. Remarks Larval Nectar Source Source X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

Perennials Attractive to Butteries

Alfalfa Allium, Ornamental Aster, Dwarf Aster, Fendlers Aster, New England Bee Balm Black-eyed Susan Black-eyed Susan Blanket Flower Catmint Medicago sativa Allium senescens Aster x dumosus Aster fendleri Aster novae-angliae Monarda spp. Rudbeckia hirta Rudbeckia fulgida Gaillardia aristata Nepeta spp. many purple Glaucum lavender Woods Dwarfs pink, purple, white My Antonia purple, white Purple Dome pink, purple, white Jacob Kline pink-lavender, red Prairie Sun yellow-orange Goldstrum yellow-orange Baby Cole, yellow-red Goblin Burgunder Fassens, lavender Six Hills Hybrids Walkers Low many assorted species type pink Magus, purple, pink, Cygnet White white species type lavender Moonbeam, Zagreb many yellow Old plants lodge Long bloom season Dwarf, very little seed production Native, good drainage needed Taller aster, late Colonizes Seeds itself, treat as an annual Seeds itself Seeds itself, can be short lived Several species Hardiness varies Native Native Native, most drought tolerant of the species Long bloom season, drought tolerant Variable Native Native Cut ower Cut back for rebloom, good dried Native Rust susceptible, allow to reseed Prefers moist soils Better in eastern Nebraska, takes wet sites Semi-woody Native, semi-woody, drought tolerant Native, difcult to transplant Common native milkweed, can be weedy Best in moist sites Native, very early Native, fragrant Fragrant Native Native Sandy sites Drought tolerant

Chrysanthemum Dendranthema spp. Coneower, Narrowleaf Echinacea angustifolia Coneower, Purple Echinacea purpurea Coneower, Pale Coreopsis, Threadleaf Daylily Gayfeather, Dotted Gayfeather, Tall Gayfeather, Spike Goldenrod species Goldenrod, Stiff Hollyhock Ironweed Joe-Pye Weed Lavender Leadplant Milkweed, Buttery Milkweed, Common Milkweed, Swamp Pasqueower Phlox, Prairie Pinks, Cheddar Pitcher Sage Prairie Clover, Purple Prairie Clover, Silky Primrose, Missouri Pussytoes Sea Lavender Sedum Low varieties Sedum Tall varieties Shasta Daisy Sweet Clover White Clover Yarrow spp. Echinacea pallida Coreopsis verticillata Hemerocallis spp. Liatris punctata Liatris pycnostachya Liatris spicata Solidago spp. Solidago rigida Alcea rosea Vernonia fasciculata Eupatorium purpureum Lavandula angustifolia Amorpha canescens Asclepias tuberosa Asclepias speciosa Asclepias incarnata

X X X

assorted, warm colors species type rose-purple Eureka rose-purple Kobold, rose-purple, Floristan White white Fireworks, yellow Golden Baby species type yellow many assorted species type Gateway Provence, Hidcote species type species type, Hello Yellow species type red-violet purple lavender-blue lavender-blue orange, red, yellow pink pink, white purple, white, red rose-pink

species type, Ice Ballet Pulsatilla spp. Rubra, Heiler Hybrids Phlox pilosa Eco Happy Traveler Dianthus gratianopolitanus Spotti, Dottie, Tiny Rubies Salvia azurea Nekan Dalea purpureum Dalea villosa Oenothera macrocarpa Antennaria spp. Limonium latifolium Sedum spp. Sedum spp. Leucanthemum x Melitotus spp. Trifolrum repens Achillea millefolium

white, rosepink, red blue, pink, white Stephanie purple Sandhills Satin pink Commanche yellow Campre species type white, pink species type blue, white Gold Carpet, yellow, red, Dragons Blood pink Indian Chief, pink, bronze Autumn Fire Alaska, Becky, white Crazy Daisy species type yellow, white several white Paprika, assorted Terra Cotta

May-June Tiny groundcover for dry sites July-August June-July Very adaptable Aug.-Sept June-July May-Oct May-Oct June-July Cut or dried owers Excellent cut ower Consumed by domestic livestock Can be a lawn weed Prefers low fertility

Common Name

Scientic Name

Select Varieties

Bloom Color

Ht./ Spread

Bloom Time

Remarks

Larval Nectar Source Source

Annuals Attractive to Butteries

Ageratum Broccoli China Aster Cosmos Flowering Cabbage Flowering Tobacco Globe Candytuft Gomphrena Marigold, African Marigold, French Nasturtium Petunia Salvia Scabiosa Snapdragon Statice Sunower Sweet Alyssum Sweet William Verbena Zinnia Zinnia Ageratum x hybrida Brassica spp. Callistephus chinensis Cosmos bipinnatus Brassica spp. Nicotiana alata Iberis umbellata Gomphrena globosa Tagetes erecta Tagetes patula Tropaoleum majus Petunia spp. Salvia spp. Scabiosa atropurpurea Antirrhinum majus Limonium sinuatum Helianthus annuus Lobularia maritima Dianthus barbatus Verbena x hybrida Zinnia angustifolia Zinnia elegans Blue Horizon, Blue Pacic Packman many Sensation, Shellleaf Color Up many many Strawberry Fields many many many many many several many Blue River, Forever Gold many blue, lavender, white green assorted white, pink, crimson reds, pinks, greens white, pink, red assorted assorted yellow, orange yellow, orange, bronze yellow, orange, red assorted red, blue varies 18"-12" 12"-12" 60"-18" 18"-12" 36"-12" 12"-6" 30"-18" 40"-18" 12"-6" 12"-8" 18"-12" 12"-15" 20"-15" varies 18"-12" varies 4"-6" 12"-12" 12" 12-16" varies June-Oct June June-Sept June-Oct Aug-Oct June-Sept June-Oct June-Sept May-Oct May-Oct May-Oct May-Oct May-Oct May-Oct April-Oct July-Oct July-Sept May-Oct June-Sept June-Sept June-Oct June-Oct Trim off old owers for repeat bloom Replant for fall crop Replant for fall crop Avoid over watering Best in cool weather Straight species is fragrant, white Fragrant Excellent for drying, cloverlike owers Natural nematode control Border plant Tolerates poor soil Provides season long color Upright plants, also attract hummingbirds Good for drying Cutting ower, can overwinter Good cutting ower or dried Bird seed, cut ower Low trailing plant, fragrant Annual or biennial Best in cool weather, spreading Hot, dry areas Cut owers, powdery mildew X X X X

X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X

blue, pink assorted white, lavender, yellow yellow, orange, bronze Carpet of Snow, white, lavender Easter Basket many assorted many blue, white, pink Crystal White, white, gold, others yellow many assorted

Herbs Attractive to Butteries

Catnip Chives Dill Mint Oregano Parsley Sweet Fennel Nepeta cataria Allium schoenoprasum Anethum graveolens Mentha spp. Origanum vulgare Petroselinum crispum Foeniculum vulgare species type species type Elegans many types species type varies species type blue, purple pink yellow pink, white pink, white greenish yellow 12"-18" 12"-12" 36"-24" 24"-24" 24"-24" 24"-18" 48"-18" June-Aug May July-Sept May-Sept July-Sept June-Oct July-Sept Many good cultivars, needs dry sites Perennial, reseeds Annual, reseeds Many types Many uses Annual or biennial, several types Licorice avored X X X X X X X X X X

Biennials Attractive to Butteries

Dames Rocket Queen Annes Lace Standing Cypress Hesperis matronalis Daucus carota Ipomopsis rubra species type species type species type lavender white red 36"-18" 72"-48" 30"-12" May-June June-July July-Oct Naturalizes, somewhat invasive Also known as wild carrot Fine texture X X X X

Shrubs Attractive to Butteries

Buttery Bush Cinquefoil Chokecherry Cotoneaster Lilac Mockorange Privet Spirea Viburnum Wild Plum Buddleia davidii Potentilla spp. Prunus virginiana Cotoneaster spp. Syringa spp. Philadelphus spp. Ligustrum spp. Spiraea spp. Viburnum spp. Prunus americana many many Shubert many many Minnesota Snowake many many many species type purple, blue, white, pink white, orange, yellow white white, pink white, pink, violet white white white, pink white, pink white 48"-48" 36"-36" 15'-10' varies 8'-12' 5/10'5/10' 10'-6' 3/8'-10' varies 15'-15' July-Oct June-frost May May-June May May-June May-June May-June May-June May Cut to ground in spring Prune in late winter Fruit attractive to birds Attractive fruit Fragrant, susceptible to scale and borers Very fragrant Often used as a hedge Vanhoutte is a popular type Some fragrant, good fruit Good for eating X X X X X X X X X X X

Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos (Drury) Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta (L.) Sachem Atalopedes campestris (Boisduval) Snowberry Clearwing Hemaris difnis Boisduval Spring Azure Celastrina neglecta (W. H. Edwards) Tawny-edged Skipper Polites themistocles (Latreille) Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus (L.) Variegated Fritillary Euptoieta claudia (Cramer) White-lined Sphinx Hyles lineata (Fabricius) Attracting Butteries Although proper plant selection and placement are essential to attract butteries, the location and characteristics of the site are important, as are additional features like rocks. Butteries like sunny sites and areas sheltered from high winds. Warm, sheltered areas are most needed in the spring and fall. Provide rocks or bricks for pupation sites and for basking and warming in the sun. A water source for puddling and drinking is important. Butteries require food plants for their larval stages and nectar plants for their adult stage. Some larvae feed on specic host plants, while others will feed on a variety of plants. Including both larval host plants and adult nectar plants in your buttery garden will increase the chances of attracting a greater number and variety of butteries. Listed in Table II are plants that can be used in Nebraska landscapes to attract butteries. Types of Plants that Attract Butteries Plants that attract butteries are classied as either a food source, a nectar source or both. Some of these plants will also provide protection from predators, shelter, a site to lay eggs and a place for butteries to attach themselves while pupating. It can be relatively simple to attract butteries to a garden that suits your landscape tastes and needs. Many native or introduced annuals, perennials, herbs, vines, grasses, shrubs and trees provide nectar owers or meet other buttery requirements. The time of owering, duration of bloom, ower color and plant size are all important considerations when selecting plants to attract butteries. Include an assortment of plants for season-long bloom. If you want to attract a greater variety of butteries, you will need to add plants that are not only a good source of necter but a good source of food as well. Many plants that attract butteries, especially trees and shrubs, may already be present in a specic area. Although weed species are generally not welcome in a garden, allowing them to grow under supervision may be an option, since many of these plants support butteries. Be cautious about using plants like blue ax (Linum perenne) and gray-head prairie coneower (Ratibida pinnata) that readily reseed and may dominate garden sites. Plants with clusters of owers or large blooms provide easier landing sites for butteries than plants with small, single owers. Planting masses of single kinds of plants usually will attract more butteries since there is more nectar available at a single stop. Select plants adapted to your site and location, and develop a plan for the buttery garden. Several books containing sample buttery garden plans are available in bookstores.

It is difcult to have a successful buttery garden in locations where insecticides are used. Insecticides can kill butteries as well as other useful insects. Plants that attract butteries also may attract other forms of wildlife, including bees and wasps. Most bees and wasps, busy collecting pollen and nectar, are not likely to sting if left undisturbed. However, if you are allergic to bee and wasp stings, be careful! Even biological controls, such as BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) will kill buttery larvae. When treating for insect pests, always consider nonchemical methods of pest control before turning to pesticides. Annuals Annuals are plants that grow, ower and complete their life cycle in one season. They come in a wide range of growth habits, ower types and colors. Removal of old owers (deadheading) may be necessary to encourage the continuous bloom that provides butteries with an extended good source of nectar. Biennials Biennials form roots and rosettes of foliage the rst year, ower and set seed the second year, and then die. They often persist in the garden for many years if some of the seedlings are allowed to remain. Herbs Herbs have many uses, among them avoring food. Butteries are attracted to many of the herbs we use for avoring, and use them as a nectar source as well as a larval food source. Shrubs Most woody shrubs have a limited number of days of ower duration. However, they can provide good, shortterm nectar sources as well as long-term buttery habitats. Trees Trees can serve vital functions as larval food hosts, nectar sources and protection. Some trees that are good for attracting butteries include birch (Betula spp.), cherry (Prunus spp.), cottonwood (Populus deltoides), elm (Ulmus spp.), hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), linden/basswood (Tilia spp.), oak (Quercus spp.), plum (Prunus spp.), red cedar (Juniperus virginiana), Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), and willow (Salix spp.). Herbaceous Perennials Herbaceous perennial plants are nonwoody plants that live and ower for more than two years. Some herbaceous perennials that are benecial to butteries, like alfalfa and clover, may not be suitable for a small garden, but they may be encouraged to grow in surrounding areas. Grasses Grasses can be native or introduced, annuals or perennials. Their height can vary from a few inches to several feet. They can provide larval food and protection for butteries. For additional information:
Allen, T.J., J.P. Brock, and J. Glassberg. 2005. Caterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Buttery Caterpillars of North America. Oxford University Press, New York. Brock, J.P. and K. Kaufman. 2003. Butteries of North America. Houghton Mifin, New York. Lindgren, D.T. and K. Todd. 2004. Wildowers for the Home Landscape: Perennials for Sunny Sites. University of Nebraska Extension NebGuide G1074. Steinegger, D., J. Fech, D. Lindgren, and A. Streich. 2000. Ornamental Grasses in Nebraska Landscape. University of Nebraska Extension NebGuide G1320. Todd, K. and D.T. Lindgren. 2003. Perennials in Water-Wise Gardens. University of Nebraska Extension NebGuide G1240.

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