Category Archives: Butterfly Gardening

Butterfly Field Guide, Butterfly Gardening, Papilionidae, Pipevine swallowtails, Raising butterflies, Swallowtail Butterflies

LARVAL FOODPLANTS OF SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

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Welcome to part two of my caterpillar food plant series (the first of which was on Saturniidae moth food plants seen HERE).  For this entry I am focusing on the five species of Swallowtail butterflies (family Papilionidae) from New England. This list does not include strays; only species that can be found in this area normally. The Papilionidae, numbering over 700 species worldwide, are among our largest and most spectacular of butterflies!

EASTERN BLACK SWALLOWTAIL – Papilio polyxenes asterius

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Carrot (Daucus), dill (Anetheum), fennel (Foeniculum), parsley (Petroselinum), Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus), rue (Ruta).

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Buggy Book Reviews, Butterfly Field Guide, Butterfly Gardening, Papilionidae, Raising butterflies, Rearing moths, Saturniidae, Swallowtail Butterflies

BOOK REVIEW: “Butterflies and Moths: A Guide to the More Common American Species”

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Some classics just never go out of style. Such is the case for the book “Butterflies and Moths: A Guide to the More Common American Species” by Robert T. Mitchell and Herbert S. Zim. Most field guides eventually go out of print and become unavailable over time as their information becomes outdated and new guides are produced. To my knowledge, this book has been in continuous print since it originally came out in 1964.

SCAN0001The original library hardcover version of this classic book!

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Butterfly Gardening, Raising butterflies, Rearing moths, Saturniidae, Uncategorized

LARVAL FOODPLANTS OF SATURNIID MOTHS OF THE EASTERN UNITED STATES

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Raising Lepidoptera has been a hobby that I have enjoyed ever since I was a kid. Though raising butterflies has always been fun, it is raising the giant silkmoths, family Saturniidae, that has been my favorite aspect of rearing. Thankfully I live in an area that includes a great representation of these amazing moths, even though their wild populations do seem to be dwindling with each passing year. What I present to you is a list of the most commonly used caterpillar foodplants for these moths representing nine species. This list is in no way meant to be complete and only through experimentation can new plants be added to this ever-growing list.

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Buggy Book Reviews, Butterfly Gardening

Beyond Beginner: Mastering Northeast Natives with Uli Lorimer’s Primer

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“The Northeast Native Plant Primer” by Uli Lorimer is not just a book; it’s an invitation to rediscover the wild beauty and ecological richness of the northeastern United States, right in your own backyard. Lorimer masterfully bridges the gap between scientific knowledge and practical gardening, crafting a guide that is both informative and inspiring. From the moment you open the cover, you’re drawn into a world where native plants are not just ornamental additions, but vital components of a thriving ecosystem.

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Buggy Book Reviews, Butterfly Gardening

BUGGY BOOK REVIEW: “How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids”

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For as long as I can remember I have had an interest in butterflies. In fact, one of my fondest memories as a child during the 1970’s was raising monarch butterflies every summer with my mother’s help. She would drive me to places where milkweed was growing and would help me find the tiny eggs and caterpillars, which we would bring home, raise and then release the adults. We would raise hundreds each summer. What is truly sad is that today, finding eggs and caterpillars seem to be almost impossible as monarch populations are on the decline.

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Butterfly Gardening

Creating A Rhode Island Butterfly Garden

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Times are definitely changing. At the time of this writing we are in the midst of a global pandemic, where everyone is asked to self isolate and keep six feet away from friends and family. These are trying times, emotionally and financially, so what is someone to do to help weather the storm? With it being spring, one thing you can do is help another global issue; the decline of pollinators.

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Buggy Book Reviews, Butterfly Field Guide, Butterfly Gardening

BOOK REVIEW: “Native Host Plants for Texas Butterflies: A Field Guide”

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What can I say? I love Texas! I am a Rhode Island native and in 2017 and 2018 I visited Austin and all of the night life it had to offer. During the day my girlfriend and I would go hiking, checking under rocks and logs for scorpions and tarantulas. In addition, we were always on the lookout for the local butterflies, hoping to see something we wouldn’t normally see in New England. One of my favorite parts of travelling is experiencing insects and arachnids that I’m not accustomed to.

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Butterfly Gardening, Conservation, Raising butterflies, Uncategorized

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATION – Every Little Bit Helps

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I have been a butterfly gardener for many years. Each year I try to add to existing gardens or take out gardens that don’t seem to be performing as well as I would like (when I say perform, I mean attracting butterflies). This year I wanted to do something new with an existing garden that over the past few years had just become overgrown, not only with weeds but with wildflowers and trees as well. This 13 foot by 13 foot garden had become unmanageable and with the exception of a butterfly bush and a wafer ash tree, nothing in it was attracting butterflies (the wafer ash was attracting giant swallowtails pretty regularly).

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Butterfly Gardening

EAST COAST BUTTERFLY GARDENING PART 1 – Attracting Butterflies To Your Yard

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Gardening, without a doubt, is one of the best hobbies out there, for many different reasons. First off, it gets you out into the fresh air and you truly get to interact with nature. It is relaxing and yet the payoff is amazing. Whether it is the resulting vegetables from your gardens, fruit from your trees or the gorgeous flowers that bloom, there is no better feeling of satisfaction than the one you get after growing something yourself. Everyone has their type of gardening preference; whether it is growing fruits and vegetables or just growing flowers. Mine is butterfly gardening. This will be a work-in-progress so check back often.

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Buggy Book Reviews, Butterfly Field Guide, Butterfly Gardening, Conservation

BOOK REVIEW: “A Swift Guide to Butterflies of North America”

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I am a huge fan of field guides and thankfully most of them out there are pretty good. In my last book review (seen HERE) I discussed my favorite of the guides, though it is one that is so large it is impractical to bring into the field with you. Thankfully, this one is much smaller, very user friendly and is perfect to have with you in the field. I must also say that I am quickly becoming a huge fan of Jeffrey Glassberg, who wrote this and many of the best guides available today.

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