Butterflies, and butterfly lovers, are everywhere. Keep these fun facts in mind the next time a Butterfly flutters by:

• People who study or collect butterflies (or the closely related moths) are called lepidopterists.
• Some butterflies tend to need more soduim than nectar can give them so they will sometimes land on humans who are sweating.
• There are between 15,000 and 20,000 species of butterflies worldwide.
• Some butterflies can migrate hundreds of miles.
• Adult butterflies do not get bigger with age.
• Butterflies taste their food through their feet.
• Butterflies use their antennas to smell.

Photo: Emily Richardson

BUTTERFLY GARDENING TIPS
With so many people fascinated by butterflies it’s not wonder that butterfly gardening is becoming a very popular hobby. A butterfly garden will brighten up your backyard with beautiful flowers and plants, not to mention the amazing butterflies that will come visit your garden. It’s a great way to add some nature and beauty to this urban environment we live in. These gardens are also beneficial to the butterflies as it provides them with much needed habitat that seems to be disappearing.

Here are some tips on creating and maintaining a butterfly garden:

• Research which butterflies are native to your area
• Plant your garden in full sun - Flowering plants need lots of sun and butterflies need sun to warm their bodies for flight.
• Plant butterfly-attracting flowers - Flowers should have strong scents and bright colors. Also, use native plants to attract butterflies in your area. Visit the links section to find information on matching plants with butterfly species.
• Use host plants in the garden - These are plants that emerging caterpillars can eat.
• Do not use chemical pesticides

Resources for this article provided by Wikipedia & butterfliesandmoths.org (Opler, Paul A., Harry Pavulaan, Ray E. Stanford, Michael Pogue, coordinators. 2006. Butterflies and Moths of North America. Bozeman, MT: Mountain Prairie Information Node.)