MOST OF you may have watched in awe as dozens of butterflies fly on and off a patch of flowers as they feed hungrily on the nectar stored at the base of these flowers. Jamaican children are intrigued by the colours, shape and form of the adults and are often tempted to catch them using fish nets and their bare hands.
One way to have them around is to create a butterfly garden - a garden that contains plants that are used by butterflies for food (nectar plants) and those that will be used by the caterpillars (larval host plants). It can be a well designed garden with water features added or it may be a managed natural area consisting of wild flowers, such as Wild Ox Eye Daisy (borrichia arborescens). Public butterfly gardens have been created at institutions worldwide, such as zoos, botanic gardens, municipal buildings and parks.
WHAT TO PLANT
In establishing a butterfly garden, the types of butterflies found in the area should be researched. In the Kingston metropolitan area among the species readily seen are the gold and black Papilio andraemon (orange dog), bright yellow Phoebis sennae sennae (Cloudless Sulphur) and the pale yellow kricogonia lyside (Lignum vitae butterfly). Once the species have been identified, the appropriate plants must be sourced. It sometimes becomes necessary for the gardener to conduct experiments on the best method of propagating each species. Before planting, check with a horticulturalist to see if that species of plant will successfully grow in your area - as soil quality varies.
The aesthetics of a butterfly garden is important and plants with a variety of colours should be considered. It should be noted, however, that although a variety of colours will allure the butterflies to the garden, the colour of the flower is less important than the nectar content. The higher the nectar content, the longer the butterfly will stay in the garden. Plant a variety of plants that suit
different sizes, shapes and species of butterflies.
- Dr. Audette J A Bailey
