the Benefits of Butterfly Gardens

 Butterflies are among the most beautiful and attractive creatures on the planet. Planting a butterfly garden draws butterflies to your yard for your family to enjoy. A butterfly garden planted with the varieties of native

 

Having these beautiful visitors in your garden is good for the environment.

species that local butterflies need can also contribute significant benefits to the environment.

Butterfly Conservation

According to the Obsession with Butterflies web site, butterflies only lay their eggs on certain specific "host plants." One such plant, milkweed, is the only plant that a monarch butterfly will lay her eggs on. By planting the kinds and varieties of host plants that butterflies native to your region can lay their eggs on, you help ensure the survival of the butterflies. This is especially true in a metropolitan area where most host plants have been removed by urban sprawl.

Other Wildlife Conservation

The Gardening Solutions section of the University of Florida's website states that a butterfly garden "provides a safe haven for butterflies and other wildlife to gather, seek shelter, acquire food and water, reproduce and build populations." Flowering plants requiring pollination, insect species that flourish in a flowering plant environment, and pollinating insects such as bees can all benefit from your garden.

Pest Control

When a butterfly garden effectively attracts and sustains a healthy population of butterflies and other beneficial insects and organisms, more complex wildlife benefits, too. Butterflies and butterfly larvae provide food for birds, mammals, lizards and other wildlife. In return, those birds, mammals, and lizards will help keep your garden clear of pests.

Scientific Study

Creating and maintaining a butterfly garden allows you to make scientific observations about butterflies and other parts of the ecosystem. Record observations about which species of butterflies you encounter, when you see them (time of day, month, season) and how numerous they are. This data can then be shared with other researchers to help increase knowledge and understanding about the ecosystem, about butterfly populations and habitats, and about conservation.

Peace of Mind

One benefit of maintaining a butterfly garden is the peace of mind experienced by the humans who create it and can relax in it. Specifically, the University of Florida's website refers to butterfly gardens as having a "therapeutic" effect. Butterfly gardens "can provide a soothing retreat from everyday life."

Read more: What Are the Benefits of Butterfly Gardens to the Environment? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6863598_benefits-butterfly-gardens-environment_.html#ixzz18aBw1AzT

 

Read more: What Are the Benefits of Butterfly Gardens to the Environment? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_6863598_benefits-butterfly-gardens-environment_.html#ixzz18aAvfk1S

Images of butterfly

http://www.google.com.om/images?um=1&hl=ar&rlz=1W1RNTN_en&tbs=isch:1&ei=n_sNTZq8A5Co8QOh8_SEBw&q=images+of+butterfly&start=20&sa=N

About Butterfly Types

The species in the Online Field Guide are divided into type categories based on shared characteristics or relationships. A silhouette illustration shows a representative species from each type. The list below tells which species are included in each type category.
	Caterpillars and Chrysalises caterpillars and chrysalises of various species
	White Butterflies whites orangetips marblewings parnassians
	Sulphurs sulphurs dogface butterflies
	Folded-winged Skippers roadside skippers giant skippers
	Spread-winged Skippers checkered skippers duskywings cloudywings pyrgine skippers tailed skippers
	Swallowtails black swallowtails tiger swallowtails giant swallowtails other swallowtails
	Angled-winged Butterflies leafwings tortoiseshells question marks commas daggerwings snouts
	Hairstreaks and Elfins hairstreaks elfins
	Blue Butterflies blues
	Copper Butterflies coppers
	Metalmarks metalmarks
	Checkered Butterflies checkerspots crescentspots
	Fritillaries and Orange Patterned Butterflies fritillaries Julia Queen Monarch Viceroy
	Boldly Patterned Butterflies admirals sisters Mourning Cloak hackberries painted ladies longwings
	Eyespot Patterned Butterflies browns pearly-eyes satyrs arctics alpines ringlets wood-nymphs buckeyes White Peacock
	Moths underwing moths tiger moths gypsy moths sphinx mothsother moths http://www.enature.com/fieldguides/about_butterfly_shapes.asp

The Butterfly Body

Adult butterflies have antennae, compound eyes, six pair of legs, a hard exoskeleton, and a body that is divided into three parts: the head, thorax, and the abdomen. Unique to the butterfly, the outer body is covered by tiny sensory hairs and the wings are covered by scales.

The head carries many sensors for the butterfly. The compound eye enables it to be aware of its immediate surroundings through a large angle. On the underside of the head is the paired proboscis, which is used to suck nectar from flowers.

Three segments make up the throax, with a pair of legs attached to each segment. The front pair of legs are non-functional and are reduced in length in some families of butterflies. The thorax also contains the flight muscles, which are attached to the base of the wings. Internally, the thorax houses the large muscles that control the wings and legs.

What is a Butterfly?

What is a Butterfly?
Butterflies are beautiful, flying insects with large scaly wings. Like all insects, they have six jointed legs, 3 body parts, a pair of antennae, compound eyes, and an exoskeleton. The three body parts are the head, thorax (the chest), and abdomen (the tail end).

The butterfly's body is covered by tiny sensory hairs. The four wings and the six legs of the butterfly are attached to the thorax. The thorax contains the muscles that make the legs and wings move.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/butterflies/allabout/