I've read elsewhere that blue, white, and yellow are the preferred colors. As for lilac, my bees seem plenty attracted to purple wallflower (Erysimum) as well. If you want to get really detailed about it, different bees are attracted to different flowers based on their foraging goals. Some bees collect pollen and some bees collect nectar, so they'll have different preferences there too. But lots of flowers attract lots of bees in any case :-)

What attracts them for nectar purposes is going to vary from location to location, region to region, state to state. For instance, Eric states that he has never seen butterflies on dandelions in Wisconsin. That is a heavy nectar favorite for the Monarchs in my yard when the migration north begins and there are few plants blooming around here at that time--still trying to add some spring bloomers. Later on, of course, the sure nectaring plants for me are Verbena bonariensis, Mexican Sunflower, Cosmos sulphureous 'Cosmic Orange', Lantana 'Miss Huff', and even later, Asters and Blue mistflower. But, I am in Oklahoma, so it may be different for you. I hope that some of our Florida butterfliers will pop in here with suggestions for you. Susan

Spanish Needle? What's that? I'm just a bit north and west of you (Clermont, Florida) and the Cape Honeysuckle does well here also, but mostly in the early spring. There are some flowers now, but only a few left on the vines. I have one growing up and around a large Crepe Myrtle. I say "one" but it now seems to be a group or a large bush that has runners all over. I planted two more of these right next to another Crepe Myrtle. They are starting to grow up it now. I have found this plant to be a favorite for hummingbirds in the early spring. At this time there are many other plants that they use more--primarily because there are so few flowers on it at this time.

Kim, I teach Kindergarten and my the 4-, 5-, and 6-year olds about bees and how to act around them. I have had children who literally freak out (much like your granddaughter) around just about ANY kind of bug but through time, they've become de-sensitized to them. At the end of this school year, one grandma said I deserved a medal, as her granddaughter came up to her with a snail in her hand (same child would run screaming and even jumped up on a table at school one day, when a bee was nearby). Keep in mind that each of the plants you've mentioned (Parsley, Dill, Fennel, and Milkweed) each are flowering plants and WILL produce blossoms that bees, wasps, butterflies, hoverflies, etc. love! You aren't going to be able to separate the 'butterflies from the bees' if you just hope to get butterflies and no bees in the garden by having 'just host plants for butterflies.' It is one of those things I teach my class from the beginning: we have to take the bugs we like with the bugs we don't like and make do. One of the things I've done is collected an assortment of 'dead' bug specimens and put them into containers. These are all set out on a long counter and are labeled. Children are very curious about the bugs so I take time to them about: how they died, what types of things they eat, their life-cycle, when and where you'd find them, etc. Being able to see a 'scary' bug up-close without fear of being bitten or stung can often help. I act out how the bug feels when it is threatened and how it feels when it isn't and show that if we humans leave them alone, then oftentimes, the bugs will leave us alone. I have a butterfly garden right outside my Kindergarten classroom. My little ones climb up on stools to root around in the garden (it is a planter) that is filled with Passiflora (host for Gulf Fritillaries Agraulis vanillae), Lavatera (host for Painted Ladies Vanessa cardui and West Coast Ladies Vanessa annabella), Rue (host for Giant Swallowtails Papilio cresphontes), Nasturtiums (host for Cabbage Whites Pieris rapae), Milkweed (host for Monarchs Danaus plexippus), Salvia, Lantana, and I'm certain there's something else in there that I can't think of. Have there been 'bad' bugs around when the kids are looking for isopods and caterpillars? Sure. We get nasty ol' wasps regularly and when the kids see them, they simply and quietly walk away, stand back, and wait until the wasp flies off. Same thing when a bee comes around. Spiders abound, too. It's all a matter of time and patience. Give your granddaughter time. Believe me, it took Alexis a long time before she wasn't freaked over snails. :) Her MOM, on the other handÂshe says she needs to hang out in my class for awhile ;P Sherry