Success(at least for this year)

In the mornings for the last week, I have had between 20-30 butterflies in my small backyard (71' x 30'). Most of them are Gulf Fritillaries but there are Swallowtails and White Cabbage butterflies also. My two passifloras are almost down to stems only as cats munch quite happily on them. This is the end result of what I planned my garden for during the last two years. What experiences do you have for the third year and fourth year and so on for butterflies?

Thanks for all the help of everyone...

Chuck

Well, jeesh, Chuck?! How can you top that?! It sounds wonderful!

This is my second year butterfly gardening and I'm afraid my BF population is not nearly as plentiful as yours!

Please tell us what you have planted on your property and if your population is particularly bountiful --- compared to your neighbors, say? --just wondering if having your BF plants makes a significant difference in your area...

I suppose next year you will begin raising cats--sounds like a lot of fun...or do you so that already? And, where are the pictures?!! LOL

Keep us posted.

I was able to get some in a photo shoot today but they were constantly moving. My wife and I got some beautiful shots of butterflies emerging from their chrysallises. My neighbors' butterflies populations have increased also since I have been planning my garden.

As far as artificial raising, I am not really into that. I did an experiment over forty years ago where I released 10,000 sterlized ladybugs in an area that was aphid-infested. They got rid of all the aphids. However, there were no more ladybugs in the area for years after that. I do not want to do anything that is going to hurt the butterfly populations.

As soon as I figure out how to upload photos on my new computer, I will post them on davesgarden.com.

Thanks,

Chuck

wow Chuck sounds like you have all the right plants. Congrats!!!

Dear Donna,

I have two passifloras, one 8 ft tall Butterfly Bush, fennel and parsley(for the Swallowtails),a peach tree, a crabapple tree, a citrus tree that from its fruit no one can tell whether it is a dark lemon or a light orange, lots and lots of zinnias, nasturtiums, lantanas, 3 different kinds of salvia (Salvia Leucophylla, Salvia greggii, and Blue Salvia) and Indian Blanket Flowers, as well as several So California natives.

Thanks,

Chuck

This message was edited Sep 7, 2006 1:11 PM