Hi, there, and how are you? Usually we plant for butterflies that frequent our area of the state. For me, that's central Oklahoma. A lot of butterflies that are found in the Eastern part of Oklahoma, I don't see here in central Oklahoma, for instance the Zebra Swallowtail.

I've attached a list of the butterflies of New Hampshire and if you click on each one individually, you'll get a list of their host/food plants.

Monarchs like milkweed for their host, so plant some hardy milkweed, like Asclepias syriaca (common), A. incarnata (swamp), and other milkweeds. Since your summers are so short, it may be best to buy plants this year if you want to attract Monarchs.

Black Swallowtails use things in the apaiceae family, like dill, fennel, parsley, zizia, and Rue.

Giant Swallowtails also use Rue as well as prickly ash.

Planting a Wild Black Cherry (prunus serotina) will get you several butterflies, like the Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Red Spotted Purple (more likely the White Admiral in your location).

Pipevine Swallowtails like pipevine or Aristolochia. Although the list reflects using A. californica, I don't think that is hardy in NH. You can use A. serpentaria, but have to have a TON of plants to sustain one caterpillar. I would get A. macrophylla (big leaf pipevine).

Spicebush Swallowtails eat lindera benzoin (spicebush) and Sasafrass.

You get lots of beautiful fritillaries up there that we don't see as much of here in the south, so I would plant lots of native violets like northern downy violet (Viola fimbriatula) and lance-leaved violet (V. lanceolata).

Buckeyes are very pretty butterflies, too, and their host plants are the snapdragon family including snapdragon (Antirrhinum) and toadflax (Linaria); the plantain family including plantains (Plantago); and the acanthus family including ruellia (Ruellia nodiflora).

You get Question Marks, too, and I am planting Hops rhizomes for them this year, but they will also use false nettle (boehmeria cylindrica), and regular nettles (ouch!).

Painted Ladies use a lot of different hosts, including thistles (Asteraceae), hollyhock, and mallow (Malvaceae), and various legumes (Fabaceae). Also antennaria (pussytoes) and gnaphalium (pearly everlasting).

If you really want to see butterflies, it would be helpful to plant these host plants. I started out with Rue, which attracted both Black Swallowtails (BSTs) and Giant Swallowtails (GSTs), then gradually added more to my garden.

Welcome, and good luck - you're gonna love gardening for the butterflies.

Susan

Here is a link that might be useful: Butterflies and Moths of New Hampshire

To be successful the fastest, I would think you would attact those butterflies first that you have seen hanging around in your neighborhood, whatever they are. They may be near because someone else is butterflying in your area and have nectar/host plants. So identify those and find out what you need to lure them into YOUR YARD!

Plant the plants you need in triangular or diamond shapes in your garden, in other words, plant them so that you have several together of the same kind. That way the smell and the color (although butterflies don't see color as we do) will bring them in.

After you have done all that, you might want to pick one or two that you haven't seen and try to establish those. I try to bring in one new species each year. It is sometimes not as easy as you would think, because some use "weeds" as host plants and DHs don't want "weeds" in the yard! So you have to pick and choose. Just know that they have to be ones that are viable in your area. I don't get the same butterflies that some get in South Florida or some that are seen in North Florida.

Good luck!

Mary, I for that reason I am so thankful I am single, and own my house, so I can do what I want with it. DHs are usually into lawn maintenance and don't want any of those nasty weeds in the lawn, so you're right. Even my yard guys have a hard time understanding that I don't want a certain weed to be mowed or dug!

Susan

Depends on what you want. Are you interested in just having butterflies frequent your plants for nectar or do you want them to lay eggs and have caterpillars munching down on your plants?

If you want to see the butterfly life cycle Susan listed some great larval host plants. If you plant it, they will come!!! Talk a walk around your local NABA or butterfly gardens to get an idea of what works in your area.

You can fly by the seat of your pants...but planning helps. Like planting ground cover and shorter plants in the front and having larger or taller plants behind those. Makes no sense to plant something tall that will cover other plants the butterflies cannot get to. Water features help too...as do butterfly bait and fruit trays for the butterflies from the brushfoot family.

Keep in mind the bloom season of what you plant. You want to plant a variety to ensure constant blooms or plant something the blooms all year long.

As for me...I selected a few excellent nectaring plants for my yard and the rest are larval host plants. The nectar sources bring the butterflies in and the larval host plants keep them coming back to lay eggs :o)

I also happen to live in an area that has one of the highest butterfly populations as well as rare strays coming over from Mexico. I have planted some larval hosts to specifically attract those not so common butterflies to my yard. It's always a thrill to see them nectaring but much more exciting to raise their eggs and caterpillars to adulthood.

~ Cat

excellent resource, SL48. Thanks!
Stupid question time: Is it more common that bflies will hang out where there are BOTH nectar AND host plants, or do they not seem to care, and flit wherever the sources are?

I am sure they flitter from yard to yard if there are nectar plants in both but I do think that having both ensures them at your place more of the time, especially the females. I do know that there seems to be times of the day that certain species make their rounds and I feel pretty confident that the same butterflies return day to day. I think I read once where they are like the ants that they have a "PATH" they follow to get nectar.

I would plant both cause then you get to see all the wonders of nature first hand.

I prefer to mix my host and nectar plants. When I first started out I planted all my Milkweed and host plants in one garden. This made it too easy for wasps and other predators to find and prey on the cats. Now I mix my host plants in with all the nectar and other plants spread through-out the garden to make it a little harder for the predators. I agree with the others plant the host plant for butterflies that are common. Then you are hooked and each year you'll find yourself trying to attract some butterflies that you haven't had yet.

I've 'ramped up' my gardening. The first year, I went for more nectar plants. Now, I'm focusing on specific host plants.

Mary & Susan....you just have to have the right DH!!!!! :)

Paul

Having the right DH is correct! Mine would rather have all gardens as he hates "doing the lawn". I like some grass, though the areas are shrinking, for my dogs and dd's.

Anyway, I kind of accidentally created bf gardens. I just kept planting things I liked and well, the bf's liked them too. I do both nectar and host without any planning - just stick them where I want them and they still come. Of course, that may be in part to me being the only one with gardens in the entire neighborhood (though the neighbor is catching on).

Happy Gardening!
Heather

Heather I think I garden like you do. I started out planting herbs. The cats started eating my herbs. I started planting flowers for hummingbirds the butterflies came. Now I just have a modge-podge of plants. No plan just plant it where I think it will grow. I do try to have some structure.

I am planting every host that I can find for the butterflies that are native for my area. Started with parsley, fennel, Queen Ann's Lace, and milkweed. I now have dutchman's pipevine, pawpaw trees, and citrus trees.

Natives that grow around me that I know are wild cherry, willows, tulip poplar, laurel, bays, sassafras, mustard, mistletoe, maypop, violets, clover (red & white) and ash.

There are probably many other hosts around me that I am not aware of. I am blessed to live on a farm with other farms around me. There are plenty of woodlands, pastures, creeks, ponds, and little rivers all around me.

Paul, hee hee, I'm sure you're right, but we just don't see that many DHs on the forum that are into butterfly gardening. You and Mike, and I can't think of any other DH. But, a lot of DWs!

If I ever found someone who would indulge my haphazard gardening ways, my butterflies, my moths, and my other critters, I might rethink my singleability (is that a word?). LOL!

Susan

I am making a butterfly garden this year. I found this web site. It is very good. You can actually locate the state and county where you live. It gives you a list of all the butterflies that have been sited there. They give ampicture of each butterfly and information about attracting that butterfly.

http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/node

Hey New Hampshire: I LOVED your flying "by the seat of your plants" quip!! We just moved from Northwest CT to SC, and I can't wait to see what kind of butterflies we can attract to our new flower gardens! I love butterflies and hummers too, and am very excited about having more months of good weather down here to see them.... This forum will be a great source of info for me.