Every butterfly starts life as a caterpillar, and its transformation inside a chrysalis is one of nature’s best-known examples of complete metamorphosis. Adult butterflies taste with their feet and sip nectar through a long, coiled tongue called a proboscis. Some species, like the monarch, migrate thousands of miles each year across North America.
Follow each stage in our butterfly life cycle guide and read up on monarch butterfly facts and conservation. Gardeners will find plenty of help too, from choosing host plants for caterpillars to planning and building a butterfly garden. There are also guides to raising butterflies at home, identifying types, and free butterfly clip art.
There are thousands of butterfly species around the world, from tiny hairstreaks to giant tropical swallowtails. Here are some of the most colourful ones, with pictures and a few facts about each. Butterfly types at a glance Crowned Hairstreak Blue Morpho Blue Swallowtail Checkerspot Clubtail Cyanea Claudina Indian Leaf Lace Wing Monarch Moon Dust Narcissus…
The following list of butterflies are found in Alabama. Clicking on the text link will show you a picture of the butterfly and which specific counties in Alabama the butterfly is found in. Each link also provides more information about the butterfly’s identification and life history. This will help you decide which Butterfly Nectar Plants and Butterfly Host Plants you will want…
The following list of butterflies are found in Wisconsin. Clicking on the text link will show you a picture of the butterfly and which specific counties in Wisconsin the butterfly is found in. Each link also provides more information about the butterfly’s identification and life history. This will help you decide which Butterfly Nectar Plants and Butterfly Host Plants you will want…
Creating a Butterfly Garden involves planning your garden to attract, retain, and encourage butterfly populations to visit. You should select a variety of nectar-producing plants (butterfly food plants) with the goal of providing flowers in bloom throughout the season. This will encourage a continuous succession of new visitors to your butterfly garden. It is especially…
Butterfly Host Plants are important when you create your butterfly garden to provide a site for the butterfly to lay eggs and also a food source for the emerging caterpillar. Be prepared for heavy munching on your host plants! Why Caterpillars Need Host Plants Because tiny caterpillars cannot travel far to find their own food, the…
Explore 12 butterfly topics with over 125 pages packed full of butterfly information. Our butterfly pages contain articles written by Master of Science degree Entomologist Randi Jones as well as butterfly links to sites all over the web for EVEN MORE information on butterflies! Get involved: check out all the fun butterfly activities and coloring…
Butterflies are some of the most beautiful and interesting creatures on Earth. A butterfly garden is an easy way to see more butterflies and to help them since many natural butterfly habitats have been lost to human activities like building homes, roads, and farms. It is easy to increase the number and variety of butterflies…
Welcome to the magical world of butterflies, where vibrant colors and graceful movements make them one of nature’s most fascinating creatures. Have you ever wondered how these delicate beauties come to life? Join us as we delve into the captivating journey of a butterfly’s life cycle, from a tiny egg to a winged wonder. Teachers…
Parents are always looking for the coolest, most unusual gifts to give their kids that the children will love to receive and that they can learn from. Raising butterflies is truly an educational experience that every child will want to do over and over again. How to Raise Butterflies at Home You can take the…
Butterfly Houses and Farms If you have a place in your yard and would like to assist in the conservation efforts for the most beautiful creatures in the world, then you will certainly want to create a butterfly garden. Many species of butterflies are disappearing due to their loss of natural habitat because of expanding urbanization…
Observing butterflies in the garden is a great way to learn about them! What Flowers/Shrubs Attract Butterflies? As you may know already, most species of butterflies use flower nectar as their main source of food. The use of the sugary nectar gives the butterflies energy and allows them to fly, so stocking up on flowers…
If you have a butterfly garden that needs some sprucing up, there are several things you can do that may take a little time and a little money, but it will not be overly expensive and it will be well worth your time because sprucing up your butterfly garden can ensure that you have more butterflies than…