Page 12 - South Mississippi Living - September, 2021

COAST NOTE
Butterflies add beauty to our home landscapes and are important pollinators for many of our treasured plants. Here in Mississippi, we are blessed with the
presence of many species of butterflies. The presence of butterflies in our landscapes can be encouraged by including plants that serve as food for both the adults and caterpillars.
Monarch butterflies are the most famous of our garden visitors. Caterpillars of the monarch butterfly thrive on milkweed plants, which grow easily in our gardens. The
adult butterflies feed on a range of flowers including lilac,
red clover, liatris, as well as the blooms of milkweed plants. Plantings of native milkweed are an important source of food for the monarchs as they migrate through Mississippi.
The Mississippi state butterfly is the spicebush swallowtail. Spicebush swallowtails are large butterflies with striking black wings that can give them a spread of over four inches. The forewings are marked with a row of yellowish spots, and hindwings with a row of light green spots. Bright orange spots stand out on the underside of the hindwings. Spicebush swallowtail caterpillars feed on plants including red bay, spicebush, and sassafras. Adults feed on a range of flowers and can often be seen sipping water and minerals from wet soil.
When planting a butterfly garden it is important to keep
a few things in mind. Good habitat for butterflies needs to provide food for both caterpillar and adults, as well as water and shelter. Placing plants in clusters of colors will help attract butterflies as well as provide an attractive area in the landscape. Adult butterflies will often shelter for the night on the underside of shrub foliage, but you can also provide
shelter by placing a simple log pile near the garden area. An area for butterflies to obtain water can be provided by allowing a small area for mud puddles. Placing a few flat stones in open sunny areas will give them a good place to warm up on cool mornings.
Including space for butterflies in our gardens is an enjoyable aspect of gardening. If you would like more information
on gardening for butterflies, I encourage you to visit the Mississippi State University Extension website at extension.msstate.edu, or contact the extension agent in your county.
Monarch Butterfly.
story by
Dr. Christian Stephenson
12 | September 2021
www.smliving.net | SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living
NATIVE BUTTERFLIES
OF MISSISSIPPI
Butterflies in the
Pass Monarch Festival
Hosted by the Pass Christian Public Library and Pass Christian Main Street
Spicebush swallowtail.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2 10 A.M.-1 P.M.
War Memorial Park
Fleitas and Scenic Dr., Pass Christian
228.452.4596 passchristianlibrary@gmail.com