I've never noticed any butterflies using my pansies here in CT. I do, however see bees nectaring on them in the early spring.

Do you think the butterfly that you saw could have been a Clouded Sulphur? That's about the only yellow butterflies that we have here yet.

However, it's getting close to the time when we should start seeing either Eastern Tigers,or in your case, perhaps Canadian Tigers.

I'm hoping my overwintering BSTs wait a few weeks to eclose, because there's no nectar right now...

But sometimes the early butterflies up here nectar on unlikely sources, like weedy shrubs, trees, and dandelions.

Maryann in CT

Hi Maryann, Thanks for the response! I did a little research on google, and some sites said that pansies are a nectar source. I just had never heard of it. I plant chives and alliums, and hope they get themselves up and running really soon. I have just a few BSTs and one Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. Hope they hold on too--it's going to be another warmish week. Dandelions aren't up yet either.

I did find some trailing arbutus blooming in my "wild area." Wonder if they use that at all? The flowrs are like narrow little cups.

Thanks again!

PS--The butterfly was definitely a brownish-orange and fairly large--could it have been a comma of some sort? It was too bright to have been a MC.

Don't believe everything you read on the internet - or other places for that matter.

I've never seen Pansies or Violets used as a nectar source in the spring. They might be used by Fritillaries as a host plant.

It's tough to find really good sources for nectar in spring. Spring blooming shrubs and trees are often used, as well as the dandelions you mentioned. A lot of "weedy" things that bloom in spring are nectar sources such as clovers, medic, etc. Sandy said she saw them using henbit as source. Most people don't like to have these weedy plants in their yard, but I leave them because there are so few choices for early blooming nectar plants.

My zizia aptera (host plant for BSTs) is about to bloom, as is my amsonia tabernaemonica (Blue Star).

Butterflies that arrive early, or that overwinter, can be fed the fruit slurry mixes, or just rotten bananas. These include Mourning Cloaks, Question Marks, and Commas.

Hope this helps some.

Susan

Thank you for the good info--I knew to check in with you all about the pansies before I went and sank some money in having them around.

I will put out some fruit--just put a rotting pear in the compost--will pull it out and offer it for the butterflies! Yum!! :)

Haven't been too good about picking up after my dog either...

Thanks again!