Bird/Butterfly Gardening Hand in Hand(A simple approach)

Hi BW friends!
I have enjoyed a diverse array of wildlife here in N TX for a number of years, especially butterflies, and the birds have always been here too. Noticing much more lately how having all the butterflies has made permanent residents of some very desirable birds as well. Had to drop in and share this with you guys....

Here are a couple simple things anyone can try whether you've been bird and/or
butterlfy gardening a long time or have only thought about getting closer to either
or both these amazing creatures. (I'm happy to know some of you already have lots of butterflies and birds,)
1) Plant some native nectar and host plants for the desired native butterfly species in the
main garden. 2) Keep some in pots near the work/sitting area, deck, and/or patio.
The female butterflies will find your potted plants and you can take it from there, but here
are some simple suggestions of what can be done when they come.
*Notes: a) The butterflies you plan to accomodate must be the species typically found and seen first hand in your area. b) The best plant cultivar is the host plant that is an official USDA native to that specific state and area. c) Never use pestacides.

When caterpillars or egg laying are observed and correctly identified, you can;
Move them to the main garden in-ground plants, (to save the potted ones),
Cage a few, (to raise and watch), ...or
Cage all of them found (to protect from insect predators/parasites).
Some wildlife gardeners might choose to deliberatly save only some, or leave all caterpillars for the resident birds.
I choose to leave just a few, such as Black Swallowtail cats out there for the Cardinals, Robins, and Wrens, etc. Accepting that some of the caterpillars are very good at hiding, and birds are excellent at finding them. in winter I get meal worms for the resident and visiting winter birds. In summer I save a lot because there are plenty of various moth caterpillars for them, as well as the occasional butterfly cats.

This is one approach to a less hands on but truely official butterfly and/or bird gardening.
This could help to establish wildlife for getting certified as an official native wildlife garden. There can be many variations of these basic elements to fit your gardening and your life. Choose whatever level of involvment that fits. Even if your only interest is to take pictures. Bird gardeners in particular, will see a lot more action by simply providing host plants for caterpillars. Rest in knowing that a good number will slip by all the danger and become butterflies. Observations show that they really seem to love the good ole fashion challenge to survive. Most actually require the struggle.

I'm pretty sure that I can't leave out the major players that belong in my garden without the potential of casting some to being endangered. Hindsight isn't a good teacher if we don't have any players to try again with.

I'm thinking a happy garden one that is well rounded and serves the fullest circle of life within it? What are some of your thoughts?

:-Deb

Carolina Wren abscounding with a little (?) brown caterpillar, The Wrens love the webworms too, (yaay!), and they get an occasional fritillary or swallowtail by hanging around here and doing such a good job.:-).

In summer it's not me watching the birds so much, although I keep the feeders full and they are always around. I'll be on the deck tending to the pillars, and the birds are watching me.. tables are turned, lol.
I get two species of Wren, the Bewick and Carolina. They've really helped out with the overabundance of webworms. This juvenile went all around the gazebo this morning looking for them, and watching me.

Looked all through the curtains...

Looking me square in the eyes

The Blue Jay watches from the tree by the deck. We whistle back and forth. One of them has made a home here, so I always keep plenty of shelled peanuts out. (The ones in the shell kept germinating.)

Had dozens of these Silver Spotted Skippers this year. They are a bit challenging for the birds, bc of the way the cats nest in the leaves on the plant silked and fashioned into little houses. Cardinal had made away with a few cats, caught him red feathered on the in ground host, A. fruiticosa in the back corner. I keep the other plant in a pot on the deck.

Nice pics deb! The wrens are really amusing!

Now this is a feast waiting to happen, I will go out and cage what I can in a bit. The birds really love these Black Swallowtails. All I had to do was keep parsley growing in the yard at all times..(A few parsley, dill, fennel, etc plants on the deck too.) I definatly conserve as many as I can find, birds get what's left. These are very prolific and grow extremely fast.

I expanded the number of bfly species this year, and released about 200 so far.. Among them were: Monarchs, Black Swallowtails, Giant Swallowtails, Pipevine Swallowtails, Gulf Fritillaries, Silver Spotted Skipper, Sulphurs, and a few others. Not as leisurly as birdwatching alone, but the satisfaction and experience is well worth all the work.

Thanks Pelle!
I kinda wanted to show you and the BW gang what I've been doing the last few months... The birds here are happier than ever. I will probably be back over there when the weather turns cool and all the bflies hibernate or migrate.
I have also been working on wildlife presentations to conduct wherever they will invite me. There will be several different subjects of study ...
Caterpillars and Host Plants 101,
Raising Butterflies, and
Garden Wildlife

Almost forgot to add that these little hummers are always in the garden now watching me too.. They like the sugar water but they *l o v e* the nectar plants. I have them closest to the deck.

They like:
Cuphea
Flame Acanthus
Salvia greggii
Salvia Black & Blue
Mexican Flame Bush
Hibiscus
Buddleia
Milkweed blooms
Zinnias

One more and I'm back out in the heat to see what's happening.. Lots of birds out there today.


Thanks for letting me share, and putting up with my wild ideas, lol

:-Debnes

This time of year we seem to have all kinds of butterflies on our small acreage. I love to go out and observe them on plants. A few days ago a now dehydrated piece of banana was attracting several butterflies.The monarchs flitter around in all directions and I think to myself, " Why don't you save that energy and fly in a more southerly direction? Nature knows much more about their intended pathes than my unanswered questions and occasional observations of them. None the less I enjoy watching and learning about them.
Feeding a caterpillar milkweed leaves( with my kids help) then watching it go thru it's stages of metamorphosis then releasing it to fly away is awsome.
Sure enjoy your wren pictures and all you've mentioned here.

Cuckoo

Very nice hummer pics deb! I'll bet they do love your place w/ all those great plants!

Thanks Pelle .. Those are hummie plants, but as I quickly found out Sulphurs like the very same plants as hummers. That was a nice surprise, as I've been trying for years to get broods of them with my Cassias. This year 1 brood morphed overnight last night, and I collected another clutch of eggs today.
Talk about glad!

Cuckoo Thanks, I figured some of the BWers had butterflies too. Sme of them really love rotten bananas, and won't tuch the flowers at all, (fruit feasters). Really great to share raising Monarchs with the kids. Really opens the mind.

It's been the best year ever! The rain sure helped a lot.

Deb

Our weather is staying warm here and the butterflys like that. Frost will arrive one of these days. Wonder if they can avoid those early frosts and where might they overnight till the sun warms the ground and their bodies? Right now we have a variety flying about.

Cuckoo

Deb..Thank you for this informative thread. I have enjoyed it.

Your welcome Frank! Thank you for your interest!
It hasn't turned yet, but little signs do show early bc of the time it takes some of these little wingers to get to their destination. Where some of them go it is summer again while we have winter. What an awesome creation we live in!

Cuckoo~ I have some Monarch. Ginat ST and Black ST chrysalids.. I think they still have time to eclose before cold sets. Last year the ones that made their chrysalids Oct 23, hibernated until April. I will know by then whose overwintering and who will head to Mexico and SA.

debnes

My butterfly bushes and other plants are slowing down considerably on their blooming . The temps have been warm and it's been humid this past week. No frost yet so the butterflies are here and there. I think colder weather is going to bring a frost one of these days along with an end to this seasons butterfly viewing.
Cuckoo

Another fascinating thread, deb. Thanks for all the pictures.

We seemed to have found a balance between the bird and butterfly populations here, although I always want more BFs and can't seem to get out to the garden to 'rescue' the caterpillars before the birds find some of them. Oh, well. Mother Nature must know what she's doing!

Our swallowtail and monarch families are increasing in population every summer since we planted their favorite flowers. Now we want to plant more for the red admirals and the fritillaries.

Our neighbors say our yard is so much fun to pass by. Always some goldfinches, monarchs, hummingbirds, swallowtails, even hawks taking part in the action.

Though now that the air is cooler here the monarchs have migrated and the other BFs are hibernating or otherwise finished their cycles. So quiet now and I miss them!

New birds are migrating in from the Boreal forest though. And that's fun!

Thanks Judy!
They can keep us in awe year round if we accommodate them; know what to look for, and when. No telling what we will see this year in the wake of all the different butterfly species we've raised here.
Please let me know what you see migrating in from the Boreal Forest! It sounds great!

debnes

deb--was reading through this thread again for new plant ideas for the hummingbirds next year and noticed you said the sulphurs like the same plants as the HBs. Very interesting. Didn't realize that we could (do I want to say?) kill two birds with one stone!

And I just wanted to add that our hummers here in Ohio seem to like the Trumpet Vines and also Verben bonarienses (verbena 'on a stick') which surprised me....both are easy to grow--almost too easy...

Good luck with preparing your presentations! t.

There are 2 more you might find Sulphurs nectaring at....Trumpet Vine and Verbena bonariensis. Must be the richer sweeter nectars that attract the both of them.

I haven't found any exceptions... it was astounding to me too.

Have you seen many Sulphurs this year?
debnes

Here is another they both have enjoyed.. Flame Acanthus>

We have had several sulphurs but we can always use more.

I see their host plants are clovers and legumes and I did not plant any legumes this year.

I also noted that the 'dainty sulphur', which is pretty scarce here, has sneezeweed as a host which I didn't plant either.

I am busy making up my seed list for wintersowing and should add these for next year's garden (and make more garden space too!)

Here the Sulphurs used Cassia alata and Senna corymbosa


Cassia (Senna) alata, Candletree>

Senna corymbosa> With a Cloudless Sulphur ovipositing>

Gorgeous photos! Isn't it interesting that they use host plants whose flowers are in the same color range as the butterfly itself? I'll have to google to find out if those particular plants will survive in our climate. Wish they would!

I just ordered some Aristolachia serpenteria plants and seeds from Rod Angeroth (loess roots) for next year. I can grow these in my shady back yard for the pipevine swallowtails.

I'm trying to find more butterfly host plants for our woodland area (shady)--I know some of the trees work well and we have these already, but shade plants are difficult to come by for the butterflies--

I did notice blueberries on a host plant list and I will add those. Of course the birds love them too and that's fine. I don't especially like to eat them myself and I am happy to share with them.

Cool that you would mention the bloom and butterfly color.. I like to think of them as an extension of the plants. Especially since the first one Candletree is an annual here in North TX. In South TX where it doesn't freeze, (to speak of), they get really bushed out. They can re-seed to the point of being invasive.
My SIL grew them in her front yard when she lived here. We have a 30+ year history with them. She had a huge front yard and planted about 8 of them orchard style with a lot of space between. Judy it was such an inspiring sight. Especially when evening would come and the leaves folded together into slim shoots with the majestic candles towering above them.
She lives in Nebraska now and hasn't tried to grow them there yet. Last time she came to visit me in September she was able to enjoy the one I have in the picture up there. It was an added bonus to share the raising and releasing of the sulphurs with her. She had never known that her favorite Candletrees produced so much more. The cats don't do a lot of damage to the trees, and the beautiful butterflies live on and regenerate on and on and on.

DG PF says they are both hardy to 10* F here, but the Candletree has never have made it through the winter for either my SIL or me. They are both TX natives, however we treat them like annuals here. Well worth trying, they are very exotic looking, and up your way would probably stop traffic.

A poultice from Candletree can be made from the leaves to treat a myriad of skin conditions as well.
I have the corymbosa in a big pot and I will try to bring it in this year. It seems to be a tad bit hardier that the Candletree, but I don't know yet. This is the first year I have grown it.

debnes