This short article appeared in the May, 2007 issue of the West Michigan-based magazine, Grand Gardens
With its relatively moderate climate, abundant plant diversity, and thousands of inland lakes and wetlands, Western Michigan is excellent butterfly territory. About 156 butterfly species live in Michigan, according to Ranger Steve Mueller, vice president of the West Michigan Butterfly Association (WMBA) and director of the Wittenbach-Wege Center in Lowell. Most rely on "near-proximity" habitat, meaning their entire life cycle occurs right here. Only a few butterflies are nomads (the most famous being the Mexico-bound Monarch butterflies).
According to Mueller, butterflies need connected pathways containing appropriate host plants and nectar sources to extend their habitat. For example, it doesn't work to plant lupine and expect the endangered Karner blue butterflies to find it without building a corridor to lead them along.
Farmers increasingly "clear-farm" to the edges of their fields, which eliminates important, habitat-rich hedgerows. Then there's Mother Nature: Drought can dry up vital nectar sources and inhibit egg-laying for the next generation.
"People are building all over the place," said Linda Koning, of Zeeland and president of the WMBA. "You see nice woods and fields being developed, and the edges of woods are the best for butterflies."
The good news: Everyone can help. Gardeners can forestall habitat loss by providing host plants that match the food and shelter sources that the different butterfly species require. "There's so much we can do, even in our own tiny subdivisions or apartments. We can plant nectar sources everywhere even if there's only a patio on a ledge or a rooftop," said Koning. Gardeners with more land can consider all the life stages of the butterfly when choosing what to plant. The eggs that hatch into caterpillars rely on appropriate, intact "host plants." For example, gardeners who completely clear away autumn "duff" might also inadvertently eliminate overwintering eggs or caterpillars. Even some adult butterflies, such as the Mourning Cloak, overwinter here by snuggling into trees and hollow logs.
Plan your garden this summer with these stunning creatures in mind — beginning with the chart provided — and you're likely to enjoy many beautiful butterflies in your own patch of the planet.
Kate Dernocoeur's most important gardening tool is her farmer-neighbor, Marsha Wilcox. With Marsha 's patient help, Kate's Vergennes Township meadows and garden have become a better home for lots of pretty butterflies.