Butterfly expert offers his advice

Wildlife management experts converged on Jackson County Thursday with tips on how enjoy, create and preserve friendly environments for the plants and animals that make this area one of the richest and most biodiverse areas in the country.
Naturalist Bill Boothe, for instance, talked about butterflies. He said that of the 170 butterfly species in Florida, 135 are known to frequent the Panhandle. He also revealed that researchers have spotted two species of butterflies previously not known to inhabit this region.
They live on the blossoms of a few rare plants, he said. They’re seldom seen, but nature lovers are excited to know they’re here.
As the spring brings daytime temperatures of 60 degrees and above, more common butterflies, such as the bright yellow sulphur and brownish buckeye, will be making their appearance
They’re dormant through winter because they can’t fly in colder temperatures, he explained.
Boothe offered a tip sheet for those who want to create spots in their yards to attract butterflies. A few well-selected plants should do the trick.
First, find out which kinds of butterfly roam naturally in your area, and what host plants are favored by the caterpillars of those species.
Plant both nectar and larval plants for each species you want to attract.
The nectar plants are for the adults, the larval for the caterpillars. Providing larval hosts will help ensure there will be some new visitors next spring.
Try to put in some nectar plants that bloom year-round. Select wide, flat flowers, like asters, so the butterflies will have an easy perch as they drink. Avoid greenish-blue and bluish-green flowers, as well as double-flowering varieties; butterflies generally ignore these.
They also prefer clusters of blooms, such as mistflowers, over larger individual blossoms.
Keep certain areas of the yard in a natural condition, allowing “good” weeds to grow. Some of these, like beggar ticks, are favored nectar sources for many butterfly types.
Use what’s already in the yard to its best advantage. Some people may not know that oak trees are the larval food of may hairstreak varieties. Even some edible garden plants, like carrots, dill and fennel are butterfly food.
Plant in a sunny place that also offers butterflies some wind protection.
A Hairstreak chapter of the North American Butterfly Association has recently been formed for this region. It is the only NABA chapter in Florida north of Gainesville.
For more information, visit the North American Butterfly Association’s Web site at www.naba.org.

Tips for matching plants to butterflies
The common buckeye butterfly likes flowers in the snapdragon family, such as false foxgolves, toadflax, bluehearts, wild petunia, plantains and frogfruit.
The painted lady butterfly likes thistles, mallows and plants in the legume family.
The question mark butterfly likes hackberry, and plants like the American elm and the winged elm.
Monarchs like milkweed.
The viceroy butterfly likes willows and black cherry.
Zebra longwings, gulf and variegated fritillaries like blue or yellow passion vines.