jibd, Here's my experience with your listed plants: Coral Honeysuckle (Hummingbird Clearwing Moth)-I've never tried, but it's certainly worth a shot. New England Aster-I have these for the Pearl Crescents; very pretty and hope to find cats on them someday. Purple Coneflower-without a doubt one of the most favored plants in my garden for nectaring; don't know if I've ever had a Silvery Checkerspot cat on them or not. I definitely wouldn't be without this plant! Shasta Daisy-the butterflies never showed any interest in mine so I ripped them out. Butterfly Weed-the milkweed here that is laid on the least, but the butterflies love it for nectaring. Common Milkweed-I've never tried, didn't want it popping up all over the place. Swamp Milkweed-2nd most liked milkweed here by the Monarchs for laying eggs; first most is tropical milkweed (annual). 'Silver Brocade' Artemisia-don't know if this is the kind of artemisia that I have but I get American Lady cats on it. Sunflower-my first attempt at planting these was this year and they didn't come up, probably because of the drought. Parsley-Black Swallowtail cats lay eggs on it here. Dill-BST cats lay eggs on that here too. Native violets-I get lots of fresh-looking Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies here every year; I'm guessing that they come from all of the violets that we have here. Hollyhock-I tried this plant for 3 years, but every year the sawfly larvae would have the plants skeletonized before I even saw any Painted Lady butterflies here. I ended up ripping it out. Black-eyed Susans-I've had Silvery Checkerspot cats on mine but not this year. False Nettle-this is only the first year that mine has been growing and because of the drought my plants haven't done well (even with watering). I saw Red Admiral butterflies, but I can't blame them for not wanting to lay on the plants. Other host plants that I have and have had luck with are: Blue False Indigo (Baptisia australis)-I get Wild Indigo Duskywing and Clouded Sulphur cats on this. Wild Senna (Cassia hebecarpa)-I also get sulphur cats on these plants. Wild Indigo (Amorpha fruticosa)-I get Silver-spotted Skippers cats on my plants. I also have various typed of trees and bushes planted for host plants for the butterflies, but you didn't mention trees on your lists so I didn't know if you don't have the room for them...so I won't mention those. Best of luck with your garden! Cathy

UPDATE! Spotted caterpillar again. He has at least tripled in size and is, without question, a Monarch! He is devouring the Butterfly Weed (???) like there's no tomorrow! Very happy! Anything I should try to do for him vis a vis winter? Bronze Fennel and a shot at parsley, roger that Susan. APOLOGIES Miss Sherry! I live off Highland Road in between Lee Dr. and Staring Ln. I won't say the neighborhood, but since I have a .75+ acre lot you'll know it isn't either of the 'Woods' (Woodgate or Woodstone) and may very well be able to narrow it down to 2-3 neighborhoods. You'd be wrong (probably), though, as my neighborhood is exceptionally small and old, built some before and most after WWII (my home is pre-war). Well, maybe you'd be right... lol. I'm relatively well insulated from traffic, which is indeed brutal. My Butterfly Weed is Asclepias curassavica and seems to absolutely be a host for Monarchs. My Lantane is Anne Marie, and while I bought small specimens, the will eventually reach 2x2 feets in size. Is that large end or small? I am VERY INTERESTED in gertting Passiflora incarnata & caerulea but shall wait for Spring. Do you know of any reputable nurseries from which to buy them online, if my local nurseries fail me? I use, in oder of preference: Louisiana Nursery (Perkins); Cleggs (Siegen) and Lowes (also Siegen, in that pooly accessible Siegen Marketmplace just south of I-10). Occassionally Ace's Hardware on Highland where Kenilworth dead ends into Highland. They have loads of seed packets which nurseries, oddly, don't seem to carry much of. While I'm thinking of it, I've had terrible success in growing from seeds. A packet of 50 may yield, if they yield ANY, less than half a dozen! It's frustrating. I've used those minature greenhouses where you plant each seed(s) in a pre-made tiny pot and cover with transparent plastic, tiny seed-starter pots that I've treated in a number of different ways. I have set them on the ground (brick) outdoors, in planter saucers together in groups, and all of the abive on a wrought iron patio furniture table. I've used Miracle Grow to water them and rainwater (we collect it in a large drum). I've kept them constantly moist, downright wet and dry-ish. Any ideas? Back to Passionvines. I was in love wih them before I knew they had any use for butterflies whatsoever. (i really believ at this point, as trifling a cause for Him as it sounds, that God is aiding me in my endeavors - far too many coincidences. another example i have not 1 but 2 fully mature Tulip Trees > likely b/c it doesn't get near as much sun as the one close to my primary butterfly garden> Why He has chosen to help me in this endeavor....mysterious ways, etc). I wish He'd turn some of His grace toward my Gingko which seems to be having problems. We have lost 1 already. The kiwi are in the ground (finally) but I'm worried that one may not be able to get he full sun when it begins to need it (3 years!!). Easily remedied by removing 2 small/medium tallow trees if it proves necessary. I have never liked these volunteer weed-trees as I call them. They grow everywhere and so fast! In mid-Summer I must make a circuit of the yards to tear up foot high tallow trees that have hidden along fence lines, etc. or in what we call 'Jeremy's Garden.' If you're curious at to what that is, ask and I'll explain - sort of a half-project begun years ago. Well, Thanks Again All! Jeremy

bernergrrl, This is a GREAT post. Many butterfly gardeners are not aware of the needs of butterflies beyond nectar and host plants. Many of my suggestions will not be usable for some/many butterfly gardeners because we have a one-acre butterfly sanctuary in a wooded area, but here goes: provide water source(s) leave brush piles and wood piles for protection from rain and for overwintering. leave as many trees around your garden as possible to protect butterflies from strong winds/rain/etc. provide stones, boulders, gravel in places that get good sun for warming spots for butterflies. clear spider webs from your garden to prevent butterflies from being caught and release butterflies that are caught in webs. try for multiple planting levels as various species seek out different levels. consider planting various grasses suitable to some butterflies as host plants. leave some trees IN your garden, if possible. In addition to the tree uses mentioned above, some butterflies like emperors, angle wings, wood nymphs, etc. use the bark as hiding places, places to bask in the sun, and lookout spots. provide feeder plates of rotting fruit, etc. to attract butterflies that don't nectar or don't nectar exclusively.

I'm itching to plant, but I'm not doing any fall planting in my tiny patch, since I have to have the fence and gate replaced this fall and the workers need somewhere to stand while doing it - mostly that area has annuals right now, plus a few ferns I need to move & a bunch of Liriope that's going to a new home. But I have planted a native violet that I poached, er, "wildcrafted" from a nearby natural area, in the hopes of eventually getting a lot of violets, and maybe some fritillaries. Definitely planned for Spring: Zizia aurea Agastache Aristolochia Honeyvine milkweed and maybe Cleome (I would flip out if I could get some Baltimore Checkerspots!), and some other native nectar plants - Asters, goldenrods etc. Not much sunny area to work with, unfortunately.