Butterfly Plants

Like bees, butterflies can be useful pollinators in your garden – they are attracted by the nectar which the flowers produce and which provides the butterflies with carbohydrates. In turn the butterflies transfer pollen within or between flowers, ensuring successful reproduction of the plants. Although the caterpillars of some butterflies can do damage to our crops, there are others which feed on weed plants (like the daytime flying magpie moth). Ensuring food and habitat for butterflies such as yellow admirals, painted ladies, common blues and of course monarchs, is an important part of gardening for biodiversity.