HAWLEY, PA — “What is a group of butterflies called? What is a group of caterpillars called?” Earlier this summer, Tarry Truitt, Pike County Master Gardener and member of the Country Gardeners, posed these and other questions during a presentation to the group on plants that attract monarch butterflies. (Answers to the questions appear at the end of this article.)

In Pennsylvania, 2,459 different species of butterflies have been reported. Monarchs are one butterfly and one pollinator, and there are many others. If we lose our pollinators, we would lose 84 percent of our crops, and over 25 percent of our birds. One of every three bites of food we eat daily exists because of pollinators.

Truitt discussed what butterflies need to live on our properties, about host plants, the life cycle of the monarch butterfly and much more. She stressed the importance of learning what native plants will support butterflies and how to help their environment on your property.

To create an environment conducive to butterflies, add host plants for the caterpillars and plant flowers, since butterflies feed on the nectar. Don’t use pesticides, and avoid blowing all the leaves in your yard away. Many insects, plants, and critters under the leaves help the soil, and keep the forest healthy. 

Also, trees and shrubs such as oak, shadblow serviceberry, birch, eastern redbud, eastern white pine and dogwood contribute to the overall health of a butterfly-friendly garden.

If your garden does not have water in it, create small puddles of water in the ground or in a pan with stones in it for the butterflies to perch on and sip the moisture. 

Create cover for critters—think of wood piles, rocks, grasses, evergreens and rock walls.

The monarch butterfly will only lay its eggs on the milkweed host plant, because it is the sole food source for the caterpillars that emerge from the eggs. 

Once the caterpillars become butterflies, they look for nectar. From egg to butterfly is around 30 days and the butterflies usually live from two to six weeks. 

In Northeast PA, there are probably four or five generations of butterflies from spring into fall. In the fall, the last generation, known as “super” or “migration,” travels from here thousands of miles to Mexico and lives up to nine months. 

Asters are a good source of nectar for butterflies before they migrate. The butterflies winter in Mexico, breed, and start back in the spring to start the next generational cycle.

There are 11 varieties of milkweed found in Pennsylvania. Some of the main ones include common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa), swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) and purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens). The ones best for your garden depend on the conditions on your property (e.g., sunny, rocky, dry or moist soil), since each type of milkweed has its own habitat. 

Truitt said, “Remember the milkweed is for the caterpillars to eat, and don’t be upset if they eat it all! You successfully raised the monarch caterpillar. The milkweed will return next year.”

Favorite flowers for butterflies include baptisia (aka false indigo), coneflowers, New England asters, bee balm, mountain mints, goldenrod, phlox, Joe-pye weeds, black-eyed Susans and blazing stars. Shrubs favored by butterflies including button bushes, spice bushes, Virginia sweet spires, winterberries and holly. 

The Penn State Extension program (www.extension.psu.edu) has resource lists regarding host plants for butterflies and native plant fact sheets for anyone interested in exploring this subject further. Truitt also recommended filling out a National Wildlife Federation Certification checklist for your property, and planting milkweed seeds in June and in the fall. 

For anyone interested in becoming a citizen scientist for the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project, go to www.mlmp.org.

The Country Gardeners meet on the first Thursday of each month, except for August, for an annual picnic. Meetings are held at 1 p.m. at the Wallenpaupack Environmental Center, 126 Lamberton Lane in Hawley. Admission is free and refreshments are served. 

Answers: A flight, and an army