by Carrie Stevenson | Nov 4, 2014
I recently met with a group of community volunteers who are interested in providing more butterfly habitat in our public areas. Monarchs migrating to Mexico this time of year use northwest Florida as a stopover and feeding site, but if host plants are unavailable they cannot sustain a healthy population. In addition, Gulf fritillaries, buckeyes, and swallowtails are spending time in local butterfly gardens, feeding on passion vine, butterfly bush, milkweed, and more.
The grassy area between this stormwater pond and woods is an ideal location for a butterfly garden. Willows growing along the edge attract butterflies already. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
The volunteers and several county staff visited three publicly-managed stormwater ponds, which are an ideal setting for what some proponents term “Butterflyscaping.” The open space, water source, and diversity of plants along the edge of the ponds lend themselves well to wildlife habitat.
The permanently wet detention pond lined with cypress trees and sawgrass also provides habitat for fish, birds, and reptiles. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
When considering adding vegetation to a neighborhood common area, there are several things to consider. First is maintenance. If there’s an annual contract with a landscaping company to mow or maintain an area, you’ll want to have a discussion about excluding the new planting area from mowing to establish new vegetation. You’ll also want to look at the soil and amount of sunlight to determine the best plant choices for the area.
A variety of groundcovers, flowering plants, shrubs and small trees will typically provide food for both caterpillars and adult butterflies. Once established, these new landscape additions will not only provide habitat and color, but may end up reducing maintenance costs as well.
For more information, the UF publication “Community Butterflyscaping” is an excellent resource for landscape design, plant choices, and practical steps toward getting started with a neighborhood or schoolyard project.
by Taylor Vandiver | Oct 7, 2014
I think it’s safe to say fall is officially here. Shouts can be heard from local football stadiums, occasionally a crisp fall breeze will send us looking for a light jacket, and coffee shops are pushing all things pumpkin. Now that we can officially appreciate the cooler fall weather, it may be time to stretch our legs and marvel at the spectacular show of color our landscapes are putting on. Here are a few plants that are showing off this time of year.
Firebush (Hamelia patens) – This charming Florida native will delight everyone with beautiful orange-red flowers throughout most of the year. Hummingbirds and butterflies enjoy the nectar in the flowers. Firebush can reach a height and width of 8 to 12 feet. It is a fast growing plant that will grow well in part to full sun environments.
Bright orange-red blooms on a firebush. Photo courtesy UF/IFAS.
Salvia (Salvia spp.) – Salvias are great plants for bringing butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden and as a bonus, they have no serious pests. With hundreds of annual and perennial species coming in an array of colors and sizes, you can easily find one or more to complement your landscape. Salvias perform best in full sun environments and are considered drought tolerant.
Deep purple blooms on a salvia in the landscape. Photo courtesy Taylor Vandiver.
Turk’s Cap (Malvaviscus arboreus) – Turk’s cap can add a cheerful pop of color at a time when little else is blooming. This old-fashioned Florida-Friendly shrub like perennial is related to the hibiscus. It’s known for its bright red flowers that always seem ready to open, but never do. Turk’s cap starts blooming in summer and keeps going until through winter, unless hit by a hard frost. It can grow in full sun and reach up to ten feet tall and ten feet wide, so give it room to grow. This easy-care native perennial requires little maintenance once it’s established.
Turk’s cap showing off its unique blooms. Photo courtesy Taylor Vandiver
Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides) – When imagining fall color we often don’t consider coleus. However, the vibrant foliage can add interest to any landscape throughout the fall. Coleus is prized for its colorful foliage, which comes in shades of green, yellow, pink, red, and maroon. Coleus varieties can range from one to several feet in height. They can be used in hanging baskets, containers on patios, or in landscape beds. Coleus prefers partial shade and you can pinch the growing stems of young plants frequently to encourage dense foliage. Keep an eye out for mealybugs on coleus and use insecticidal soap if problems develop
Burnt orange foliage standing out amongst the neutral green of the landscape. Photo courtesy Taylor Vandiver.
Fore more information contact your local extension agent. Also you can visit us at gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu or edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
by Carrie Stevenson | Sep 30, 2014
Last week, the Okaloosa County Health Department issued a rabies alert after three bats were determined to have the illness. A “drive-through” rabies vaccine clinic was organized for pets, and warnings were issued throughout the region about making contact with wild animals. One radio broadcast played an interview in which a health department staffer urged people “not to attract wildlife to your yard.” While they were focusing on unsecured trash and pet food, I found this advice unsettling, for as an Extension Agent I’ve promoted the practice of attracting wildlife to yards for many years—birds, butterflies, and even (especially) bats. Raccoons, not bats, have the greatest incidence of rabies (based on data collected from 1992-2011), by a factor of almost seven times that of bats. In the scare of a rabies outbreak, it can be easy to overreact or overlook the many benefits that wildlife provide to our neighborhoods.
There are, of course, practical ways to go about living with wildlife without endangering your health or that of your family and pets (including making sure pets have the rabies vaccine).
Use Caution around Injured Wildlife
Most wildlife rescue organizations do not have the staff to pick up injured animals and ask those who find one to bring them in. However, sick or injured animals may respond aggressively as an intuitive protective measure. If you are taking an animal to a wildlife rehabilitator, be sure to approach it gently and use a blanket or large towel to pick up the animal, and place it gently in a box with a ventilated lid. Great information on responding to injured or deserted animals can be found at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida website. Keep in mind that bats are flying animals and spend almost no time on the ground. They do not chase people and are primarily concerned with catching insect prey. If you find a bat on the ground, it is most likely sick. County animal control or private wildlife responders can also help if you are concerned about interacting with a sick animal.
These twin Seminole bat pups were found on the ground with their mother and nursed back to health at the Wildlife Sanctuary of Northwest Florida. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson
Use Care When Retrieving Dead Animals
When bird flu, West Nile or rabies hits an area, health departments sometimes ask that suspect animals be reported for testing to confirm the cause of death. Even if you are just disposing of the animal, be sure to use gloves and place the animal in a sealable plastic bag to prevent spreading germs, and wash your hands after handling it. If burying, place at least three feet deep and away from wells or water sources.
Enjoy Wildlife from a Distance
Disturbing healthy animals while they are feeding or resting can cause unnecessary stress and reduce their hunting success. Animals’ natural behaviors are fascinating to watch, so be sure and do so from a respectful distance to allow them to interact normally with their environment.
by Beth Bolles | Sep 2, 2014
Many species of butterflies are flitting through summer gardens but a special butterfly has recently made its appearance in perennial gardens. The Blue butterfly bush, Clerodendrum ugandense is a mid to late summer blooming plant that has unique flowers resembling butterflies.
Photo: Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
During our hottest days, light blue flowers appear above attractive green foliage. Plants may grow between 6 and 10 feet in height when provided with partial shade and moisture during the warm season. Although butterfly bush is a frost sensitive plant, it will likely return from the roots in hardiness zones 8 and 9. Even when replanted in the spring, it grows well enough that you will enjoy a flowering display by summer’s end. Plant your butterfly bush to accommodate a spreading growth habit and where garden visitors can get a close view of the interesting flowers.
Flower panicles. Photo: Beth Bolles, UF IFAS Extension Escambia County
by Julie McConnell | Sep 2, 2014
Purple passionflower
Gulf Fritillary caterpillars have a voracious appetite for purple passionflower vine Passiflora incarnata! This native vine is a host for the Gulf Fritillary Butterfly Agraulis vanilla larvae, is easy to grow, and readily available in garden centers.
Like any other vine, it grows quickly and may spread across your garden, so keep this in mind when choosing a location. It prefers full sun, is drought tolerant, adapts to many soil types, and should be given support for twining tendrils. Purple passionflower has intricate purple flowers that are followed by the fruit called a maypop, which is another common name for this vine.
Gulf fritillary butterflies are primarily orange with some black and white markings. They prefer sunny areas and adults will feed on nectar from many different flowering plants. However, they are more specific about where they will lay eggs because the diet of the caterpillar is more selective than adults.
If you have purple passionflower in your landscape, look for tiny yellow eggs and orange caterpillars with black spikes to see if you have a backyard Gulf fritillary nursery. Plants may be totally defoliated by the hungry caterpillars, but healthy plants can tolerate the damage and should flush back out without difficulty.
by Taylor Vandiver | Aug 4, 2014
Attracting Butterflies into Your Landscape
Have you been itching to add some life and color into your landscape? Why not plant a butterfly garden?! Butterfly gardens are a great way to add movement and life to an otherwise stagnant landscape. Most butterfly gardens are not only an attractant for our Florida butterflies, but are also a magnet for hummingbirds and beneficial insects. To start your garden all you need are a few key plants.
Gulf Fritillary. Photo Courtesy Scott Jackson.
Incorporate at least one host plant and one nectar plant into your garden. The host plant provides a suitable habitat for the female butterfly to lay her eggs. These eggs will hatch and the baby caterpillars will eat the leaves of the host plant. Host plants are often not as showy as nectar plants, nor are they even necessary to attract adult butterflies. However, while nectar plants invite butterflies into your garden to feed, host plants offer them a reason to stay and reproduce. And you can watch this entire cycle unfold in your own garden!
Most of your butterfly attractant plants will do best in full sun to partial shade. Try not to apply pesticides in areas where you want to maintain healthy caterpillar/butterfly populations. Providing water for butterflies is very important and easily done. One option is to fill a clay tray with sand and then place a rock in the center, where the butterfly can perch. Keep the sand wet, but avoid standing water. Feel free to contact your local extension office for more information on our winged friends!
Zebra Longwing, our state butterfly! Photo courtesy Scott Jackson.
Here are a few examples of butterflies and their preferred host plants:
o Host Plants – Fennel, Parsley, Bishopsweed
o Host Plants – Pawpaw
o Host Plants – Wild Lime, Hercules-club, Citrus spp.
o Host Plants – Ash, Black Cherry, Tulip tree, Sweetbay Magnolia
o Host Plants – Partridge Pea, Cassia
o Host Plants – Passion Vines
- Zebra Longwing (State Butterfly of Florida)
o Host Plants – Passion Vines
o Host Plants – Milkweed, Butterfly Weed
Here are nectar plants that will have the butterflies swarming to your garden:
- Firebush
- Milkweed
- Blanket Flower
- Sage (Salvia spp.)
- Butterfly Bush
- Blazing Star
- Yarrow
- Pentas
- Stoke’s Aster
